I'll Cover You
by Clovache
Summary: Kakashi and Iruka, a happy home, a sweet life together. Until Iruka throws himself in front of a deadly attack meant for the Copy Nin. Shonenai, yaoi, KakaIru. [Updated FINALLY!]
1. Kakashi's prologue

**a/n: **After a very depressing KakaIru story that I am still crying over, I decided to make one of my own. Please enjoi, feel free to make requests from any of the series's I have writen for. Love!

**Disclaimer: **The pairing, yes I would love to own. The story line... not so much in the way of the sadness. But I own neither. Nor do I own Rent.

**Warning: **Shonen-ai and AU.

**Induced By: **Rent music, being sick, and endless KakaIru fics.

_flashback_

_'thought'_

"dialogue"

story

_**I'll Cover You- Chappie 1**_

_Iruka, sweetie? You have a cold. Here, let me wipe your nose for you._

_Iruka-sensei? Gah, your nose is running! Lemme get it for you._

Kakashi remembered what Iruka told him. Why he had burst into laughter when Kakashi had tried to wipe his nose. Why, on closer inspection, his laughter was really tears flooding down his tanned face. Iruka had explained that his mother always used to do the same thing, whenever he had a cold as a child. From that moment, Kakashi decided that he would take care of Umino Iruka if it meant his own life.

Having little to no experience in the way of love or crying chuunins, Kakashi didn't really know how to handle either. That day when Iruka mentioned his mother, Kakashi saw the younger man cry for the first time. That day when Kakashi saw Iruka crying, he fell in love with the man.

He spent more time with the man, got to know him. If Iruka thought it was odd that the masked jounin was spending more time with him as they became closer, he never showed it. Kakashi went from being about as welcome as a hole in the head, to being as welcome-if not more so- than Naruto.

Iruka could sing. His voice was the bset Kakashi had ever heard. It was smooth and melodic, low and smoky and could make the jounin shiver. He could hear any song once and reproduce it flawlessly. Seemingly effortlessly.

Surprisingly, Iruka was dyslexic. Numbers and letters often appeared backwards to him, and made grading papers sometimes as hellish as a deadly mission. Kakashi had always been a speed reader, good at memorizing every thing he read, but he never teased Iruka. Iruka teased him.

Iruka was a god of arts. He could draw, paint, sing, and hell, he was even a good writer once you got around the disability. He could act too. Kakashi remembered going to see a movie with him once. A musical called Rent. It was a beautiful starry night when the left the theatre, and Iruka was still sobbing slightly. Honestly, Kakashi never saw any point to cry for a fictional setting or character. He saved it for reality. But Iruka... Sweet, sweet Iruka...

_"I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love, now I know you can Rent it, but at least you are my love!" Iruka sang happily, trotting next to Kakashi. Kakashi sighed and hung back slightly, a smile visible in his eye. Iruka paused and glared at Kakashi. "What? You said you liked the movie."_

_"I just don't know how you liked it so much."_

_"How could you not! It was a masterpiece! Remind me to thank Tsunade-sama for mentioning it to me."_

_Kakashi playfully rolled his visible eye. "Duly noted."_

_Iruka turned and pouted, giving Kakashi what he called 'Iruka-sensei's famous pouty lip'. Indeed, it was a trick not to be messed with. "Tell me you liked it, you know you did!"_

_"I did."_

_"Sincerly!"_

_"Yes, Iruka-sensei. I don't think I was fully alive before seeing such a display of granduer! And I shall never feel as alive again as I did while watching it."_

_Iruka paused, trying to figure out if he'd been insulted. Then, he burst into laughter. "Kakashi-san! Be serious!"_

_"I have never been more serious, Iruka-sensei."_

_"Yeah, yeah." Iruka, still chuckling, lifted his head to the stars. "Beautiful view, ne Kakashi-san?"_

_"Yes," Kakashi whispered, looking directly at the chuunin. "Beautiful."_

Two, no, almost three years ago. It seemed to Kakashi like an eternity. Sighing as he remembered his life with Iruka, Kakashi looked back onto all of the events that had made him so happy. Talking with Iruka. Going out with Iruka. Eating Ramen with Iruka. Kissing Iruka...

_"Kakashi... Did you just kiss me?"_

He still remembered the indignant squwak as the perfectly chaste kiss had registered in the Umino's mind. The stuttering, blushing, adorable Umino. He had swiftly pulled down his mask and given Iruka a small peck on the cheek as he looked the other way. He had whirled around, almost bumping noses with the jounin as he straightened his mask.

_"Why, yes. Yes I did."_

_And angry glare. "If you're gonna kiss me while I'm not looking, at least do it properly!"_

_Kakashi lazily raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" But Iruka had become distracted by a sight just over Kakashi's left shoulder. _

_"Oi! Naruto-kun, over here!" Iruka waved, smiling. Kakashi turned around to say hello to the Uzumaki brat, and was greeted with a crowed hall of jounin. No Naruto in sight. He was about to mention this to Iruka, when the aforementioned chuunin grabbed Kakashi's mask, tugged it down and gave the jounin a soft kiss on the lips. He pulled away smugly. "That's how you kiss someone when they're not looking."_

All of these thoughts swirled around in Kakashi's mind as he tried his hardest not to dwell on the situation. That kiss had been a side of Umino Iruka that Hatake Kakashi had never seen. No wonder all of the Academy children were scared of him.

Many more sweet kisses followed, courtesy of both Iruka and Kakashi. Both men were fiercely protective of each other. Kakashi probably more so than Iruka. And even when he thought he knew everything about the chuunin, Iruka still always found a way to suprise him.

_"Kakashi-san!" Iruka bowled into Kakashi's apartment without bothering to knock. His face was pale and drawn, his eyes ringed by shadows, his hair unbound in a cloud over his shoulders. Kakashi looked up from the couch and set down the loud orange novel he'd been reading. _

_He raised a hand in greeting. "Iruka-kun," he had long since taken to calling the chuuning by a slightly more personal name. "What's the matter? I only just got back an hour or so you know. You're lucky you chose this moment to come. If you want, I can make some--"_

_"I don't care about any of that!" Iruka all but screamed, stomping over to Kakashi's side and giving the jounin a good hard shake. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to be late? Two friken **weeks** late!"_

_Kakashi had never seen the young man so frightened. It was scary. "Iruka, I had no control--"_

_"Shut it! Do you know how w-worried I was? I waited up every night, I didn't even **sleep**! I had no way to know if you were okay, or if you were **dead!** All I could think about was you! You and your stupid smug look that you get whenevr you're right, you and your sharingan, you and how I didn't know if I'd ever be able to tell you that **I'm in love with you!**" Iruka's head drooped. "B-beacause I'm so in love with you, K-Kakashi..." Iruka began to sob, loud racking sobs that sounded as if he were crying from his very soul. He collapsed to the floor and cried._

_Kakashi was up in an instant, his arms around his lover to comfort him, whispering soothing words and patting the shuddering chuunin's hair."Shhh... It's okay, Ruka, it's okay. I won't leave you. I love you too, it's okay."_

Kakashi never again told Iruka when his mission was supposed to end. He didn't want his dolphin to have a heart attack from stress. From then on, Kakashi almost always used nicknames like 'Ruka' or 'Ruru'. By Iruka, he was fondly called Kakashi or Kashi.

Like now. Kakashi's mind was numb. He had no feeling save for the pale hand enclosed in his own. The bruises and lacerations did not pain him, nor did the black eye around his sharingan. He did not wear his mask. What need was there for it in the hospital? What hut was that his lover had taken a kunai directly in the chest for him, because he'd been too damn distracted to take it himself.

He still remembered it all in slow motion. The assassin had hit the wrong person and ran away. Kakashi caught Iruka's body as it crumpled to the ground. Chocolate brown eyes reached his mismatched ones and smiled. Iruka tried to speak but Kakashi shushed him. He remembered carrying his Iruka to the dolphin, talking to him the whole time, whispering his name and other ties.

Now he only had one thing to fear. Iruka dying. If Iruka was to leave him... no, he couldn't think like that. He couldn't. Iruka was strong, Iruka would be fine.

"Ruka," he whispered, bringing the pale hand to his lips. "Ruka, Ruka, my Ruka..." _'My lovely, beautiful, strong, Iruka...'_

Naruto was behind him, crying his heart out. Sakura was comforting Naruto as best she could, tears running down her own face. Sasuke had crumpled into the corner, his arms around his knees, wide eyes staring at the forms of his two sensei's.

Tears rolled down Kakashi's unmasked face, falling onto his Iruka's hand. "Ruka, Iruka..." A mantra, as though Iruka needed to hear his own voice to find the way back to conciousness. The menacing black machines behind Iruka clicked and beeped and whirred. One small one beeped in time with Iruka's heartbeat. And then Kakashi got an idea. It was worth a try... and he had loved that movie so much...

"I've longed to discover something as true as this is," he sang, his voice cracking as he did so. His students looked up, watching. Naruto sniffed. "Open your door, I'll be your tennant. Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet. But sweet kisses I've got to spare. I'll be there and I'll cover you--" a large sob escaped his lips, but he was not to be stopped. His students watched in silent awe. "Oh, I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love. Now, I know you can rent it, but at least you are my love. My life... All my life..." His heart was breaking as the machine beeped a stange rythm to his song. And then he heard something.

"Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes," Sakura whispered, looking up at Kakashi with large viridian eyes. "With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you." Leave it to Sakura to have seen such an emotional movie and have memorized the saddest song. They sang together for minutes... hours...

Naruto and Sasuke had picked up the song, and all four of them sang until they couldn't anymore. Dead silence. Then, Iruka's hand twitched in Kakashi's own.

**a/n: **Yeah, I know I'm evil. Sue me. But, I started to cry so I figured that I had better leave it. Review and Request and I'll definetly post more as soon as I can.


	2. Iruka's prologue

**a/n: **Wow. I mean, like wow. Sugoi. Incredible. Look at this. My quickest update ever. Wow. Wow.

**Iruka: **I'm sorry, she's a little stunned over the amount of reviews she got for the first chapter. It's more than she's ever gotten on an opening night (for lack of a better term) so please, be patient with her.

**tsukiraven: **So many reviews... So many...

**Kakashi: **Ruru? I think she's broken.

**Iruka: **Gah! Kakashi! Not in public! You promised not to call me 'Ruru' in public!

**tsukiraven: **Reviews...

**Kakashi: **Aww come on... Ruka then. You're Ruka now.

**tsukiraven: **Awwwww! So cute! (referring to the pouting Iruka)

**Iruka: **I don't need this. I'm going to go listen to my Rent CD.

**tsukiraven: **Yeah, I think I will too. --looks for CD-- Hey? Where'd it-- IRUKA!

**Iruka: **(from far away) I'm a ninja, remember!

**Kakashi: **I guess it's up to me to do the disclaimer. Tsukiraven does not own Naruto or Rent, no matter how much she wishes it were so.

**Because it's been asked: **Sorry about all of the spelling errors, but I was quite sick when I typed the first chappie, so I do hope you'll all forgive me.

**Because it's important: **I have gotten some statements that inquire about my using Rent in a Konoha setting. Well, aside from the fact that it is an awesome combo, I did mention that this is an AU. Same ninja, same ranks, different Konoha.

**Because she loves you: **Thank you so much for all of the kind words and reviews! Constructive crit is always welcome, and reviewer responses are at the end. Love you all and Enjoi!

**Because it's a warning: **This is an AU story with depressing contents and shonen-ai. If you feel the need to continue, please enjoi it!

_flashback_

_'thought'_

"dialogue"

story

_**I'll Cover You- Chappie 2**_

_Son, you have to be prepared for everything and anything that you'll face as a ninja. You have to be ready._

_Well, it's like that with students, Kakashi-san. You always have to be prepared because you never know what they'll throw at you._

Iruka could've sworn that Kakashi's voice was dripping with anger when he told the chuunin that he reminded him of his late father. Everyone in Konoha at least knew that much of the jounin; he was an enigma that did not like to talk about his past. Which is why Iruka was so surprised. It wasn't until later that he learned that Kakashi's voice was dripping with admiration.

Less than two weeks later, he was crying his heart out in the jounin's arms. All of those feelings that he had been holding in, all of his emotions that had refused to manifest for the last year had burst when Kakashi had playfully offered to wipe his nose. And then, Iruka understood being linked to someone that was lost in the past, and how much it could hurt. So, Iruka thought that at least he could try to be a little nicer to the masked man.

Iruka wasn't really sure why, but Kakashi had started spending more time with him after that. He had thought that Kakashi may have been trying to rub it in, in the way Sasuke had said to Naruto; You're weak and you need me. So live with it okay? I'm going to be here for a while.

But after the general uneasiness that a jounin and special ops ANBU member was doing something just shy of stalking him had set in, he began to feel more comfortable in Kakashi's presence. Like the man had become a second shadow. And Iruka didn't mind it at all.

_"Yo." The masked man appeared upside down in Iruka's front window, smiley eye in place and everything._

_Iruka screamed and jumped, clutching at his heart as he tried to slow his breathing. "Ka-Kakashi-san!" The chuunin tried desperately to slow the pounding of the muscle in his chest. He chalked the butterflies in his stomach up to that little shock as well. _

_Kakashi raised his only visible eyebrow. "Are you alright, Iruka-sensei?"_

_"Yes, I'm okay. What do you need? I was just getting ready to make dinner."_

_Kakashi flipped himself over and landed on his feet in front of Iruka. A perfect 10. "Well, that's the thing you see." Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously. "I was wondering if I could make dinner for you tonight."_

_"Dinner? For me?" He didn't mean to squeak, it just happened._

_"Yeah." Was it his imagination or was Kakashi looking rather embarrassed. "If you don't want to--"_

_"No! It sounds great! Just hang on!"_

Iruka learned that night that Kakashi was the best cook in probably the entire village of Konoha. Although, how he managed to eat his whole meal without Iruka so much as getting a glance at his face was anybody's guess. He also learned that Kakashi was a humorous man. A man with depth. A man who cared. A man with purpose. A man anyone could easily fall in lo--

_'Don't say it Iruka Umino, don't say it. Don't you dare say the "L" word and make a fool of yourself. Don't think it, don't say it, don't think it--'_

_"Iruka-sensei? Is something the matter?"_

_"No. Nothing."_

Although it was a little embarrassing at first, Iruka couldn't help but admit to himself that he was madly in love with one of Konoha's star jounin. He'd gone from occupying the back of Iruka's mind to living right up front, shouting "Iruka Umino you love me! Iruka Umino loves me!"

Embarrassing. Almost too much. It was once, only once. Just once...

_'Oh Gods, Kakashi, what do you do to me?'_

_Iruka stood with the kitchen knife positioned over his forearm, blood seeping down the tanned skin, desperate to escape the vessel that was his body. _

_He wasn't cutting himself. He wasn't! He was cooking when he thought of Kakashi and the knife had slipped and then the pain in his arm..._

_But the blood was a wake up call. Iruka couldn't stand being alone anymore, it was all too much. And even as he thought this, the knife subconsciously slid its way closer to his arm. Almost as if it were eager to draw more blood. Iruka paled and threw the knife to the other end of the kitchen. Not bothering to clean the just-beginning dinner away, Iruka stalked up to his room ready for another sleepless night of thinking of Kakashi happily paired with someone else. Someone that wasn't him._

Depression. It was something that the Umino was familiar with. His parents were gone, and that caused allot of depression for him. Kakashi was quickly becoming the only joy in the lonely chuunin's life.

Rent was their special movie. Their first date, if Iruka dared to call it such. And when the jounin had said the view was beautiful, the chuunin had almost dared to believe that Kakashi had been speaking of him.

Kakashi had started calling him Iruka-kun. He had even bought Rent when it came out, "Just for you Iruka-kun!" Unabashedly, Kakashi had stated that getting the movie was a good excuse to see the dolphin more often.

_"C'mon, Iruka-kun, you know you wanna watch it again. Over dinner sounds good, ne?"_

_"Yes, Kakashi-san, that sounds wonder-- kun?"_

_A confused glance. "Yes. Iruka-kun. It's a better fitting name now that we're dating, is it not?"_

_Iruka blushed and puffed up in that indignant way that he does. "Dating! Did you decide we're dating just now? On the spur of the moment?"_

_"Yes, actually. I think we should go commemorate with a viewing of a good movie and dinner. Are you in?"_

_"Well yeah...but dating?"_

_"Mmm... You have objections?" Iruka had none. Kakashi laughed and linked his arm with the chuunin, leading him home._

According to Kakashi, Iruka had the most beautiful singing voice in the world. Since the time they started dating, Iruka gave more private concerts for Kakashi than he had ever dreamed of giving. It was heaven. Kakashi wasn't all that bad of a singer, although the scarecrow insisted that his voice cracked and squeaked, and that he'd rather listen to Iruka's voice than anyone else's.

Iruka was dyslexic, no matter how much he tried to deny it. It caused so many problems for the young man. More than he cared to admit. But Kakashi was there to make everything okay. He never poked fun at Iruka, nor corrected him. If the chuunin tried to read something to Kakashi, the masked man waited while Iruka took his time reading the words. If need be, he filled in the gaps on his own. Geniuses could do things like that.

Kakashi was possessive. If any man or woman other than the masked jounin himself stepped within the chuunin's personal bubble, they would have a very angry Kakashi to deal with. That's not to say that Iruka himself wasn't possessive. He was, although not as much as his masked lover. And that mask...

Everyone who cared to wager a guess on how Kakashi looked underneath the mask was dead wrong, as far as Iruka was concerned. Because Iruka had seen him and in his mind there were no words to describe Kakashi's beauty. It was otherworldly.

_"Ichidakimasu." Iruka and Kakashi stated at the same time, before the younger of the two dug into the meal in front of him. _

_Chewing happily, Iruka watched Kakashi out of the corner of his eye. The jounin was eyeing his food in a predatory way. His hands reached up to touch the edges of his mask. When his fingers were carefully hooked in the cloth, he turned his head to look at Iruka. "You're making me uncomfortable, you know."_

_Iruka jumped. "Sorry, Kakashi," he had long since dropped the 'san', "I guess I'm just..."_

_"Curious?"_

_"Yes. Curious."_

_"Hmm..." Kakashi lowered his hands and smiled beneath the mask. "Now we can't have that, can we? Here, give me your hands, Ruka." He held out his hands to Iruka. _

_Suddenly overwhelmed with nervousness that he couldn't explain, Iruka placed his hands in Kakashi's. The jounin lifted his hands and placed them at the top of his mask. 'It's... It's soft. Softer than I imagined.'_

_"Okay, Ruka," Kakashi said softly. "Whenever you're ready, you can pull it down."_

_Iruka sucked in a deep breath and gently eased the cloth down slowly over the contours of Kakashi's face. With every centimeter uncovered, pale skin was revealed. After the small nose was revealed, Iruka couldn't take it anymore, and he tugged the mask down over Kakashi's lips. The masked bunched down at the base of his neck, a pool of dark water below a pale heavenly face. Iruka ran his fingers absentmindedly over soft pale lips, muttering the first words that came to his star-struck mind. "Wow... So beautiful."_

These memories... They were so wonderful... If any man could live on memories alone, Iruka would be alive for eternity. He could think of allot of things he wished he had said, though, as he adjusted his vest and ran downtown towards where Konoha was being breeched.

_I'd die without you_

He wished he would've told Naruto how proud he was of his son, how he had never been more proud of any entity in his life.

_I'd die without you_

He wished he would've told Sasuke that he was going to turn into a fine young man. That he already was one. That his life would most likely end happily and justly with his friends by his side.

_Life goes on..._

He wished he had told Sakura that she didn't need Sasuke to complete her, and that she was a beautiful and vivacious woman that any man would be lucky to have.

_But I'm gone..._

And Kakashi-- Oh God, there he was. Fighting for his life with another man in an ANBU mask, a traitor. He was sporting several nasty wounds, and a black eye was developing around his sharingan. His movements were slow and lopsided; had he been poisoned or was he just on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion. Without thinking, Iruka rushed towards his lover.

_Cause I'd die without you..._

The ANBU man whipped out a hidden kunai and flung it at Kakashi with all of his might. _'Oh Gods, he won't make it in time. It's gonna hit him, he'll die--' _

_I'll die without you._

In one swift movement, Iruka had thrown himself in front of the kunai. He barely had a moment to absorb that there was a sharp object buried in his chest before a stinging sensation invaded his body. _'Poison... damn...'_

As if in slow motion, the assassin fled. The colors around Iruka swirled and mixed and he crumpled to the cool ground. He heard a scream then felt a pair of arms wrenching him up.

Suddenly he was face to face with Kakashi. Loving Kakashi. Beautiful Kakashi. He had ripped the mask from his face and was using the cloth as a makeshift rag to attempt to stem the blood that was flowing from Iruka by buckets. But to no avail.

_'Kakashi... I don't want to leave you, please.. save me... help..'_

Iruka tried to mouth his last words to Kakashi, but Kakashi was having none of it. "Shush," he whispered. "You can tell me when you're better." And with that, he was in Kakashi's arms, the both of them speeding towards the hospital.

_'Kakashi, save me so I can be with you... I love you so much...'_

"Luh... Love you..." Iruka muttered, a drop of blood flowing from his mouth.

Tears flew freely down his face as Kakashi smiled, his own eyes weeping. "I know. I love you too, my Iruka." Kakashi pulled him closer and Iruka fell unconscious to the comforting sound of his Kakashi's heartbeat.

-------

_"With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you."_

It was that voice.

_"Without you, the hand gropes. The ear hears, the pulse beats..."_

Changing songs? But the other was so good.

_"Life goes on, but I'm gone..."_

Wait...

_"Cause I'd die without you."_

Silence. The singing had stopped, replaced by weeping. A drop of something cool fell on his hand. Iruka's muddled brain told him it was water, presumably from a tear.

His hand twitched of his own accord. He heard a gasp, then a high-pitched panicky voice; "Call the meds! Hurry!"

He struggled to open his eyes. "Ahhh..." There was someone's name that he had to remember. What was it...

"Just hold on Iruka, they'll be here any second."

Iruka? No, that was his name...

"Thank goodness, you're here! Please, he's awake! Help him!"

Ka... Ka something...

"Iruka! Iruka, can you hear me? Please wake up, it's Kakashi!"

Yes, that sounded right... Kakashi. More tears fell onto his hand as Iruka struggled to maintain his consciousness. He could hear machines beeping and whirring in the background, a metallic metronome. Kakashi... He would die without this man. He had to tell him that. If only he had the strength to talk.

------

**a/n: **That's it until my next update. I'm so happy you liked the first chappie, please review this one! Thank you so much. Updates will come fast for this story. Peace and I'm out!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Dragna Vey: **I'm glad I could turn someone onto the movie/musical Rent, and thank you for your honest critism. It's much appreciated.

**KC Evans: **Thanks so much! You are absolutely right- love is almost never logical. But this is an AU story, so just think of it as a more technologically adapt Konoha.

**Elecia: **Waghh! I made someone cry? I've never done that before --hands you tissue-- I'm glad you liked it and I don't plan on finishing this puppy for a while, so stay tuned.

**Reigning Fyre: **Thank you soo much! --insert bright smiley face here--

**anon: **Thanks! A hand twitch? Egadz! That is a good reason... I think I will continue!

**Krystal: **Thanks allot!

**FluffyDolphin: **I will. Poor Ruka-kun indeed...

**sugar hype queen: **Thanks so much! It's a great musical, if you like the fic you should definitely check it out.

--bows-- Thank you!

**DJC: **Thanks for the info, I'll try to fix the error. --grabs a baseball bat with which to hit computer-- Keep reading!

**kiasca: **I am a little evil, aren't I? I'm sorry for the cliffie, but look! Here's more!

**Dorku No Renkitjutsushi: **Wow... Like just amazing! You're story is the one that inspired me! --teary eyed-- I'm so moved that you would review my story. --bows repeatedly-- Thank you so much!

**Keakun: **Don't be too hard on poor little Ruka-kun. We are all bakas for love.

**Thank you so much for all of your kind words! I read and reply to all of them so please review!**


	3. Seasons Of Love

**a/n: **When I woke up and checked meh email, I had 9 reviews! I was so happy!

**Kakashi: **Yes, yes, we're all here for you.

**Iruka: **I'm awake! Yay! Maybe Naruto will take me out for Ramen to celebrate for once...

**tsukiraven and Kakashi: **Don't get your hopes up.

**Kakashi: **He only does it when you pay.

**Iruka: **Really?

**tsukiraven: **Really.

**Iruka: **You know, Miss Raven, you may want to start the story. The readers are getting antsy.

**tsukiraven: **Huh? Oh yeah! Heh.. Here we go!

**Kakashi: **(sigh) Raven always seems to forget that she does not own any of the Naruto characters displayed within. Nor does she own Rent. I shudder to think what life would be like living with her...

**tsukiraven: **I'd let you keep your books.

**Kakashi: **Then I'm just fine with it.

**Warning: **Shonen-ai, boy love, angsteh yaoi, sadness, happiness, Alternate Universe setting, no spoilers though, and me no own. Enjoi!

_flashback_

_'thought'_

"dialogue"

story

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 3**_

_I'll take you anywhere you want to go, Iruka. All you have to do is say so._

_Really? Can you take me to where my parents are?_

"Iruka, Iruka! It's Kakashi! It's me, Iruka, open your eyes!" Kakashi knew he was yelling but he didn't care. He knew he was covered in blood and gore (some his, some his lover's) but he didn't care. He knew that his mask was gone but he didn't care. All that he cared about was the fact that the man lying on the hospital bed in front of him had moved.

"Medic! Please, he needs help!" Sakura screamed down the hallway. A man dressed in soft blue scrubs entered the room briskly, shooting Sakura a reproachful glare for shouting.

"He is not the only one in this hospital with injuries, you know." The doctor scoffed, before checking the machines around Iruka.

_'He's the only one who matters!' _Kakashi wanted to say it, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"He's the only one who matters!" Naruto shouted, sniffling as he brushed away his tears.

The doctor gave Naruto a withering look. "I'm sure that far more important ninja are hospitalized at this very moment." Kakashi gritted his teeth, drawing the doctor's attention. "Are you family? A friend?"

"Ahh. I'm..." Kakashi didn't quite know what to say. Iruka wasn't always comfortable telling people that they were romantically involved, and Kakashi didn't want to upset the dolphin later on.

"They're lovers," Sasuke interrupted. Sakura's eyes widened and Naruto gave Sasuke a look that promised death. Kakashi looked relieved. _'Thanks Sasuke... Now he can blame you. But, lovers? A little extreme sounding, ne?'_

The doctor sighed and shook his head. "Lovers at each other's bedsides, what a waste of energy and time."

This time, Kakashi did react. "What did you say?"

"Did it ever occur to you that if he could have woken up, he would have done so by now?"

Kakashi growled. He let Iruka's tear stained hand drop from his own as he grabbed the front of the doctor's shirt. "Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again." He punctuated each word with a shake. The doctor choked, his face tinged with purple.

"Kakashi-sensei! Stop!" Sakura raced forward and grabbed his arm, tugging on it. Kakashi gazed at his student and sighed, letting his arm drop to his side.

"Well?" He asked coldly. "How is he?"

The doctor straightened his scrubs indignantly. "He will wake up," he began, "but the tip of the kunai that hit him carried a very rare poison called Henshitsu. We don't have the antidote in stock, but it's known to be a very slow acting poison so that's not a problem. I'm not quite sure of the effects, but," he sighed, "I don't think that they could be any worse than being impaled on a kunai now could it?

Kakashi was nervous now. Poison? Slow acting? Sounded like a high danger venom, not an easily avoidable toxin. But, he'd leave it to the doctor. Most likely, he knew how to do his job better than Kakashi did. The doctor straightened his shirt and went back to monitoring the machines, which were currently displaying Iruka's vitals.

"I'm not sure what these statistics mean," The doctor said finally. "A little more than two hours ago, they showed that he should have stayed asleep forever. But now... he could wake up at any time. I don't understand how they could have 180'ed so quickly."

"I don't care what the stats were, as long as they say that he's okay now. Can't you do anything to help him wake up faster?" Kakashi tried to sound like the infamous Copy Nin, who he had tried and failed to be, but lost miserably when his voice shook. _'Sleep Forever?' _Had he known the problem was so serious... Kakashi didn't even know what he would've done. What he would do without Iruka in his life. It didn't sound like a life worth living in.

"No. And stop asking questions, you're distracting me." Kakashi gritted his teeth, but obliged to the doctor's wishes.

"Sakura, Sakura," Naruto whispered. "Is Iruka-sensei gonna be okay?" He sniffled again, giving himself the look of a kicked puppy. Sakura's eyes softened.

"Yeah," she said quietly, hugging Naruto again. "I think he will be, Naruto."

Sasuke watched from the edge of the room, his features blank. He didn't want his sensei to die either. He was just as worried about Iruka as Naruto, but Sakura didn't console or comfort him. Great, now he was jealous. And he looked uncaring. Wonderful.

However, all five people in the room paused and whirled to look at the beside as the beeping of the machines reached a frantic whine. Iruka's eyes were moving underneath their lids, and his mouth was slightly open, as if he were trying to say something. "Ka..."

Kakashi's eyes widened. He shoved passed the doctor to get to Iruka's bedside. "Iruka," he whispered, stroking his lover's hand. "Iruka it's okay, don't waste your strength."

Iruka gave his head a small shake. "Nah... Kashi... Luh..."

Kakashi realized what Iruka was trying to say, and it was everything that he could do to keep from crying again. He continued to stroke the back of Iruka's hand. "It's okay Ruka, I know."

Iruka was frustrated. No, he was beyond frustrated. He wanted to grab Kakashi, kiss him, hold him down until he promised not to scare him like that ever again, kiss him, tell him how much he loved him, and kiss him again. _'I'd die without you, Kakashi. Do you know that?' _But he couldn't find the strength to do it. Using all of the strength he had stored in his reserves, he wrenched open his eyes, only to hiss when they were flooded with a piercing light.

Squinting now, he began to search the room for his Kakashi. "Kakashi..." Iruka managed, and to him his voice sounded pitifully weak. He vaguely wondered if he'd be able to sing again. "I love... you..."

Kakashi's eyes filled with tears. "Yeah... I love you too Iruka. With all my heart, you know, so hang in there."

Iruka honed in on the voice. It was soft and sad, cracking. It was Kakashi. He willed his tired eyes to find Kakashi at his bedside. And there he was. He was covered in blood, his clothing was ripped and his mask was gone. His face was tired and ragged, with a black eye around his sharingan. One of his hands was clenched around Iruka's own. Iruka gazed at Kakashi, his eyes unnoticed for a moment until Kakashi finally looked down to realized that Iruka was fully awake.

Joy and happiness erupted in Kakashi's chest, and it was all he could do to keep himself form tackling the dolphin. He wanted to hold Iruka, kiss him, to feel his lover's lips against his own, to make sure that his Ruka was alright, to tell Iruka that he would be there forever...

For what seemed to be an eternity, chocolate eyes locked on to mismatched blue and red. Neither one was willing to drop their gaze.

_'He's alive,' _Kakashi thought happily.

_'He's alright,' _Iruka was relieved.

The stares were interrupted by a squeak of pain from Iruka. Kakashi's eyes snapped angrily as he turned to the doctor. The doctor was holding a long, scary looking needle over Iruka's opposite arm. A bronze liquid was dripping from the tip. "What did you do to him?" Kakashi demanded.

The doctor gave Kakashi a withering gaze, obviously unafraid. "Restorative drug," the doctor stated, tossing the used needle into a nearby trash bin. He turned to Iruka. "Do you feel better now? Can you speak?"

Iruka nodded slowly. "Ye...Yeah." His eyes once again focused on Kakashi. "Kakashi... are you okay?"

And that was it. That small statement from Iruka, in all of it's ridiculousness, sent Kakashi over the edge. He burst out laughing, hunching over Iruka's hand. His students backed away, all three of them. "Kakashi-sensei... He's lost it." Naruto declared. Sakura and Sasuke nodded their assent, too stunned to speak. Tears worked their way out of the corners of Kakashi's eyes, dripping onto Iruka's hand. He grinned widely at Iruka.

"I can not honestly believe that you just asked me if _I _was okay!" Kakashi chuckled. "You're the one in the hospital bed, Ruka."

Iruka smiled and gave a half-hearted imitation of a shrug. "Well... you were the one fighting...so much..." Iruka was also aware that his words were faint, and that he wasn't entirely making sense. But Kakashi was there, Kakashi was laughing and smiling, and- to Iruka- that made the world alright.

Kakashi nodded, standing up. "Yeah... I'm fine Ruka. But here, hang on a second..." Kakashi turned to the doctor. "He's good now? All awake? Doesn't need the machines anymore?"

The doctor nodded. "Well, in a matter of speaking, yes. But he still needs the anti-toxin, the hydration IV, and the blood IV." Kakashi took his time to examine all three said objects. The two IV's were hooked into Iruka's opposite arm, and the anti-toxin was in his close arm, the one that Kakashi had been holding. Smirking slightly, Kakashi climbed onto the bed, careful not to disturb any of the machines that were vital to the dolphin. His dolphin. His Iruka. Lifting Iruka slightly, Kakashi scooted underneath the young man until he was holding Iruka directly over himself. He set Iruka down on his lap and smiled, brushing stray hairs off of Iruka's pale face and neck.

"Now wait a minute!" The doctor sputtered. "You can't do _that_! That's against hospital regulation--"

"Screw hospital regulation."

"I'll have you kicked out--"

"I'd like to see you try."

"I...You.. Urgh!" The doctor gave Kakashi another withering glare and stalked out of the room, throwing his hands up and muttering about 'Stupid idiots in love'.

Iruka tried to look disapproving, but couldn't help a small smile. "You should be careful, Kashi. they could kick you out..."

Kakashi smiled wider. "Like I'd said, they can try. Whether or not I'd go is a different subject entirely." He brushed his lips against Iruka's. "I was so worried."

Iruka sighed and nuzzled into Kakashi's throat. Kakashi's arms tightened around his waist. "You, worried? Kashi, I was worried about _you_." In the background, Sakura watched with wide, happy eyes, while Naruto and Sasuke mouthed 'Kashi?' and 'Ruka?' to each other.

Kakashi smiled. Ruka, his warm, loving Iruka, was back in his arms again. He nuzzled Iruka back, poison forgotten for the time being. He was happy just the way things were. A small cough attracted his attention to where his three students were standing, all looking slightly embarrassed. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Yes," he stated nonchalantly. "This is what it looks like when two adults are in love. And, unless you wanna see your teachers kiss, I suggest you leave." There was a warning in Kakashi's voice, and the younger ninja all scampered. Still smiling, Kakashi took Iruka's lips for his own. The younger man happily obliged.

"Hello!" A cheerful nurse entered the room, pausing as she saw the two men kissing. "Uhh... am I interrupting?"

Kakashi (with regret) broke away from his Iruka, to stare blankly at the woman. "Yes. Yes you are."

She shrugged. "Well, I need to give Iruka a short checkup, so tough cookies." She smiled wryly at Kakashi.

Kakashi sighed. Iruka frowned lightly. the nurse grinned. "Oh no! Don't frown, smile! You're a very unusual case, Umino-san. Most of the toughest ninja wouldn't even wake up after that kind of wound. And, you had that poison to top it off." Iruka looked faintly confused. _'Poison? Oh yes, that's what the stinging was from.'_

Kakashi sighed. "Do I have to move?"

The nurse shook her head. "No, but just don't fidget. I wanna get all my readings right. I can have Doctor Koru come back and explain the poison if you want--"

"No." Kakashi said. "I can tell him later. The last thing we need is that windbag back in here."

The nurse gave a cough, which may have been hiding a laugh. "Well said, well said."

Iruka, however, was gazing intently at the nurse as if he were trying to remember her. "I know you... Are you a ninja?"

She tilted her head. "I'm a healer ninja. Jounin level. My name is Raven Aquirii." (**a/n: **Yeah, that's me!)

Iruka nodded. "Yes, now I remember. I must have met you in the Academy. I think you were a lower-classman when I was about to graduate."

Raven nodded, checking Iruka's pulse. "Yes, that could be right. I'll check my yearbook later." She pulled back, making scribble notes on her clipboard. "Hmmm... well, I think everything is in order. Doctor Koru will be back later, I suppose, to check on you. And don't tell him I let you stay there, Hatake-san; I'll get in trouble for spoiling you!" She winked happily. "But, I'll be back to bring you food later. Can you handle being alone for a few hours?"

Kakashi nodded for Iruka, squeezing him slightly. "I'll be here. I'll watch over him."

**a/n: **Yeah! Another chappie finished! I'm so happy, I couldn't have done it all without you guys. Thanks for your kind words. I appreciate every one of them. Notice the beta?

**Iruka: **Miss Raven, you're just using your spell check.

**tsukiraven: **Nyah.. I have a thing against Microsoft Word. Sue me.

**Kakashi: **Don't encourage them.

**tsukiraven: **Yeah, yeah. I hope you all like this chappie! There wasn't really much angst, but don't worry, that all comes back. Lots of fluff, and maybe a small lime later on.. --muses--

**Iruka: **At least I'm awake. Please review Miss Raven's story, she gets lonely if you don't.

**tsukiraven: **Although, I don't think this last one was as good as the first two. I'll have to try harder next time.

**Kakashi: **Yes, you will. And, why are you in the story?

**tsukiraven: **Well, you were getting awfully into the kissing. Kissing leads to lime, which leads to lemon. The story isn't ready for that, so I "accidentally" interrupted.

**Kakashi: **Don't make me "accidentally" stab you with this kunai.

**tsukiraven: **Uhh.. On to the reviewer responses! (thinks: Whew. I live to write another day)

**Reviewer Responses:**

**Icy Saphire15: **Gwagh, sorry I made you cry. --hands you a tissue-- That better? Thanks for reviewing. Have a cookie!

**TxT-Lover: **Thank you! See, I updated! Do you like cookies?

**riotgirl8268: **Why do I always make people cry? Thank you anyway! --hands you tissue and a cookie--

**KC Evans: **Thanks for the review, I love long ones. Kakashi is a stalker, how could he not be? He's stealthy enough. --shifty eyes-- I know that there weren't any flash backs in this one, but there will be in the next one, so never fear! I never though of Iruka as a cutter, until I read a fic where he was. So, I thought "if he loves Kakashi so much, there's pain to love too." And it really was an accident. He's a good little dolphin. He wouldn't do anything to hurt Kakashi, and Iruka hurt equals hurt Kakashi. So, yay? Yes, yay. Have an extra large cookie.

**FluffyDolphin: **--nods-- Poor, brave Iruka. The story switches back and forth between pov's, so you can get an idea of how they both feel. Cookie?

**anon: **Thank you. The hand twitch is always a sure fire to tell that someone is alive. I try to update as often as I can, I'm glad someone noticed! Have a cookie!

**Eodaiya: **Don't be a meanie-head. No cookie for you. Oh wait…. I'm your favorite? Here's a cookie then.

**ElfLordLinden: **Thank you, I try not to make it drag. Here's a cookie!

**Rathrahk: Rahkshi of Yaoi: **Thank you! --gladly accepts cake/cookies-- Yum! --hands you cookie-- Here ya go! Thanks for the kind words!

**A.N.N Badacelli: **Thank you! And I present to thee, a cookie!

**a/n: **Thanks again, and remember to review and check back soon for the next update! Cha! Peace, I'm out!


	4. Rent

**a/n: **Yeah! I'm back again! Chappie number four is heading your way. Cha!

**Kakashi: **Don't mind her, she's excited because she has the day off and got to sleep until 10.

**Iruka: **Yes, she's awfully excited over something so small...

**Kakashi: **--sudden change of attitude-- Oh, I don't know Ruka... You were 'awfully excited' when you got to stay home late with me that one morning and we--

**Iruka: **--clamps hands over Kakashi's mouth-- Nonononononono! Not in public, _Not in public!_

**tsukiraven: **--taking notes-- Heh heh... This is all good fodder for the fic so keep it up...

**Iruka: **You are NOT taking notes!

**tsukiraven: **Yes, I am. Teaches you to get all citrus-y in the middle of a "T" rated fic...

**Iruka: **... (so mad that he is beyond words)

**Kakashi: **Iruka, (Iruka turns away) Aww, don't be like that. C'mon, let's go... --whispers to Iruka--.

**Iruka: **Oh... okay. (leaves with Kakashi)

**tsukiraven: **Uhhh... Hey! Where d'you think you're going! Ugh, why do I even bother? I don't own 'em (Rent or Naruto), sorry. I doubt I ever will. I-it's time that I've come to terms with that.

**Lookie, Lookie: **Shonen-ai, yaoi, small lime, an insane nurse, mild spoilers in this one, boy love, Alternate Universe setting.

Enjoi!

_flashback_

_'thought'_

"dialogue"

story

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 4**_

_Kakashi, the time will come when you have to chose. Be loved... or be feared._

_I... I can't have both?_

"So, yeah, I checked my yearbook. We were never in the Academy together. Turns out that when I was nine, you were a student teacher there. That must be how you remembered me." The busy nurse, Raven, bustled around the hospital room, fully aware of the fact that Iruka couldn't talk because of the thermometer stuck in his mouth. Kakashi grinned from his position at Iruka's bedside, squeezing his lover's hand.

"O, y oh I haffa have eh empuraur aken, aen?" Iruka sputtered around the thermometer.

Raven looked up, confused. "Huh? Can you repeat that?"

Kakashi chuckled from behind his mask. "He wants to know why he has to have his temperature taken when he's not sick."

"Well, a stab wound is a stab wound and I want to make sure that there's no infection." Iruka made a face. "Oh, now stop that, Umino-sensei. Do you want to leave the hospital? Ever? Then be good, because both Doctor Koru _and I _have to sign you out." Iruka made another face, this one to Kakashi, that clearly said "Please help me!"

Kakashi chuckled again. "Oh now, Ruka. I think Raven-san has a point. I don't want you to get sick." Iruka made another face, this one saying "You were supposed to take my side!" Raven gave her watch a quick glance and smiled.

"Alright, you can spit it out now." Iruka pulled the thermometer out of his mouth, shaking it and handing it over to Raven. "Hmm... Your temp's a little high, but no worries just yet. And you," she pointed to Kakashi, "you can go back to your spot." Kakashi nodded and once again crawled underneath Iruka, so that the chuunin was settled comfortably on his lap. He kissed the top of Iruka's head, stroking the soft brown hair. "I'm going to go turn in these readings and tell Tsunade-sama that she can come to see you anytime now." With a grin and a wave, Raven poofed herself out of the hospital room.

Iruka gave a half-smile. "You know, she's quite a good nurse. Even if she is a bit..."

"Crazy?" Kakashi supplied. "Well, is there a ninja in Konoha who isn't crazy?"

His dolphin puffed up indignantly. "I like to think that I'm sane, thank you."

Kakashi kissed Iruka's forehead, smiling through the cloth of his mask. "You can think that, Ruka, but taking a kunai for someone is not listed in the "sane" category."

Iruka settled himself further into Kakashi's chest, sighing happily. "Yeah, yeah... you know that you're glad I did it."

Kakashi's brow furrowed momentarily. "No," he muttered, "not if it hurt you, Iruka."

Iruka turned around awkwardly, fixing Kakashi with his chocolate brown stare. "Your Iruka," he said pointedly. He brushed his lips over Kakashi's mask. "I would've died without you anyway, Kashi."

Kakashi sighed. There was no getting through to this man that what he had done was simply wrong. Wrong. He could have gotten himself killed out there; in a battle that he had no stake in. When Kakashi had first told him this, Iruka had stared at Kakashi with such intensity that it worried the jounin, and said: "You were my stake out there, Kakashi."

They stayed that way for minutes, Iruka happy with his victory. After awhile, Iruka's eyelids burned and drooped. Kakashi tightened his hold around his lover. "Iruka... you going to sleep there?"

"I was thinking about it, yeah. Do you mind?" Kakashi shook his head. "I bet I look like such a wimp, falling asleep almost every half hour."

"No, if you're sleeping this much it means you need it. Don't worry, I'll be here when you wake up." Iruka nodded and before too long, he was asleep.

Kakashi smiled and let the sleeping man snuggle closer to him. His Iruka, yes, his and no one else's. Closing his own eyes, Kakashi let himself be carried away by memories.

_Kakashi shivered slightly, closing the door inaudibly behind him so not to let the cold air in. Turning around, he surveyed the familiar interior of the dolphin's home. A delicious smell was wafting from the kitchen and Kakashi was loathe to let it be without finding out what it was. _

_Slipping off his shoes, Kakashi padded his way over to the kitchen, extremely careful not to make a noise. He wasn't a prime member of ANBU for nothing. But, when he stepped into the stream of glowing light flowing from the kitchen it was almost all he could do to keep from laughing._

_Iruka was there, making dinner. Clad in only sweat pants, his ponytail bobbed up and down as he walked around the kitchen checking on the various dishes. But that wasn't what was funny to Kakashi. No, what made it funny was that he had a CD paying in the background and was singing along, using a wooden spoon as a makeshift microphone. _

_"How do you write a song when the cords sound wrong, though they once sounded right and rare..." Iruka slid from the stove to the microwave in one movement, still singing. Kakashi recognized the lyrics from the movie Rent and he briefly wondered where and when Iruka had picked up the soundtrack. But Iruka dancing and singing into a wooden utensil slid any thoughts from his mind as he struggled not to chuckle._

_When Iruka spun and nearly caught sight of Kakashi, the masked nin decided to enter the kitchen and see what exactly Iruka was cooking. _

_Stepping into the brightly lit room, Kakashi smiled widely at Iruka. The man had still not noticed his presence, he was so wrapped up in his song. "Smells good." Kakashi said amiably._

_The effect was astounding. Iruka gasped and whirled around to face Kakashi. The spoon dropped from his hand with a clatter. "Uhh... K-Kakashi?" He squeaked. Kakashi loved that squeak. _

_Kakashi grinned, pulling down his mask. "You're a good dancer, Ruka." Iruka continued to gape, stunned that Kakashi had snuck up on him. _

_Beet red and stuttering, Iruka turned around to face the stove. "D-dinner should be d-done soon-- meep!" Kakashi had sauntered up behind the chuunin and hugged him, leaving his arms to hang tightly around the dolphin's waist. _

_Kakashi nuzzled his Iruka's neck. "Keep singing."_

_Iruka looked up with shining eyes, his face red from embarrassment and something else; something entirely--_

"Ohohoho! This is absolutely adorable!" Kakashi's eyes snapped open and he was faced with the Hokage Tsunade, absolutely beaming. Behind her stood Raven, also beaming, and Dr. Koru, his brows furrowed.

Tsunade walked forward, peering at the couple. Kakashi had a sleepy look about his visible eye, and Iruka was still curled up in his lap sleeping. He hadn't realized that he had dozed off, and mentally Kakashi kicked himself. What sort of protection was he if he couldn't protect Iruka?

"Well... I suppose I could come back later," Tsunade said. "I wanted to speak with Iruka about the poison, but it can wait I suppose." Tsunade sighed. "It can wait."

"Poison?" Kakashi questioned blankly, before recognition kicked in. "Oh... that poison. Is he alright?" Iruka turned over in Kakashi's lap and continued to snooze.

Tsunade's eyes clouded for a moment, but when Kakashi blinked it was gone. "Yeah, why wouldn't he be?" Kakashi shrugged. "I'm glad to see that you're concerned for him, Kakashi. He couldn't have asked for a better lover." Kakashi flushed slightly underneath the mask. But damn straight- he was a good lover. He wanted to protect Iruka, even if it took his life. "I think... That I have something else that concerns you, Kakashi."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"That man, the traitor who stabbed Iruka," Tsunade sighed. "I'm not supposed to be telling you... but I assume you'll want revenge?"

Kakashi blinked. He hadn't actually thought about chasing revenge for his Ruka. He looked down at the sleeping bundle in his arms. Memories flashed before his eyes. Iruka sleeping. Iruka smiling. Iruka blushing. Iruka stammering. Iruka, laying in front of him, bleeding from the mouth in a last ditch effort to save the one he loved. Rage flooded everyone of Kakashi's cells as he remembered his Iruka, laying in the mud and bleeding. Hell yeah, he wanted revenge!

"Tell me who he was."

Tsunade shook her head. "Now don't misunderstand me Hatake, I won't give you classified information every time you ask nicely. You've done good fighting out there, and because of you Konoha can sleep a little more soundly tonight. I know that your heart rules you now, Kakashi, but make no mistake when I say that this is a one time only deal. Got it?" Kakashi nodded. "Now, Raven," The nurse walked up and handed Tsunade a stuffed manila colored folder. Papers stuck out at random angles. Kakashi took the folder (careful not to disturb Iruka) and flipped through it. Typed kanji met his gaze, but on the bottom were two pictures, a side profile and a front view.

Kakashi recognized the man and the name above it, recognized Iruka's former flame, and hissed as if he'd been burned.

"Mizuki..."

Tsunade affirmed Kakashi's statement with a nod. "Yes. We believe that Mizuki attacked you on the orders of either the Kazekage or Orochimaru himself. Upon accidentally hitting Iruka, Mizuki fled. The tip of the kunai, as you well know, was coated in a poison that can only be found in Sunagakure." Tsunade watched as Kakashi clenched the papers in his hands, fuming fit to burst. "We already have hunter-nins on the lookout for him, but I assume that you'll wish to join them?"

"Oh yes..." There was a dangerous sparkle in his eye. "I hope Mizuki has a will made out."

"Huh wha?" Iruka mumbled sleepily, tossing in Kakashi's lap. Like lightning, Kakashi set the folder on top of one of the nearby machines. He leaned down and re-wrapped his arms around Iruka, pulling the sleepy dolphin up to lay on his chest. "Who has a what now?"

"Nothing Iruka," Kakashi whispered, hugging the man lightly. Iruka nuzzled into Kakashi's arms, opening his eyes a crack.

"Yeah, nothing always means something," Closing his eyes and smiling, Iruka pushed himself up and brushed his lips across Kakashi's mask. Kakashi couldn't help but smile. Iruka would probably be pissed at Kakashi for not telling him that the Hokage and two hospital employees were sitting _right there_, but he would be fine. He always was. But just in case...

"Iruka?" Kakashi smiled once again under his mask as Iruka kissed him again. The chuunin's arms threaded their ways around Kakashi's neck as Iruka moved said kisses down to the cloth covered throat.

"Mmmm... What?" Iruka looked mildly irked at the interruption, but that was nothing compared to the look on his face when Kakashi pointed over his shoulder.

The color drained from the tan face as Iruka gulped. "Naruto?" He asked quietly. Kakashi shook his head. "No? Who then?" Iruka turned slowly and blanched when he came face to face with none other than Tsunade. Her legs were crossed, one foot tapping idly on the floor, and her brows were raised. Her arms were folded over her chest. She smirked lightly at Iruka.

"Are you quite done?" Iruka nodded miserably. Lovers or no, he would have to have a strict talk with Kakashi when they went home. Something along the lines of "Let's not let Iruka embarrass himself in front of other human beings, shall we?"

"Good. Now, Kakashi, I don't want you leaving to chase Mi--" Her gaze wandered warily to Iruka, before changing her course of speech. "That man, until I tell you. Do I make myself clear, Hatake?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good. And you," Tsunade rounded on Iruka, who flinched. "You are to get some rest, okay? Who would be the fine educator of the village's children if you were to be further incapacitated?" Iruka smiled.

"No one, that's who." Raven piped up. Tsunade grinned and nodded.

"Exactly. So, Iruka-kun, I'll give you a month off. That should be enough time for you to recuperate."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Don't mention it. Now, Kakashi, wait until Iruka's month is up before going after that man, okay? Until then, you're new mission is to take care of Iruka, got that?"

"I accept the mission Hokage," Kakashi smiled. Inwardly, he sighed. A month? A whole month? Mizuki could be gone by then. Or worse... one of the hunter-nins could find him. Ahhh... He probably wouldn't want to leave his Ruru until the month was up anyway.

"Good. Now," Tsunade turned to Raven and Dr. Koru. "I expect the both of you to take care of Umino Iruka, yes?" Raven bowed lightly, and Dr. Koru gruffly nodded. "Right, so that means I'm done here."

Tsunade picked herself up out of her chair and began to walk towards the door.

"But wait, what about the po--"

Raven cut him off. "I think that that could stand to wait a week, don't you Tsunade-sama?" She asked nervously. Iruka looked back and forth between Raven, Kakashi and Tsunade. All of this was terribly confusing for the poor chuunin.

Tsunade turned back. "Yes," she said, waving it off. "It's slow acting enough to wait a few days... I'll be back in three days. Until then," she waved goodbye and exited.

Raven smiled. "I have to go check up on a few other patients. Dr. Koru will run your tests for the next few hours." She waved cheerily and left.

Dr. Koru "humphed" and walked forward, prodding the side of Kakashi's face with a stubby finger. "That's right." Poke. "And since I'm," Poke. "The one who's to take care of you," Poke, poke. "You cannot sit there while I'm doing my examinations. So get up and move."

Kakashi flicked the old man's finger away, irritated. He really didn't want to leave Iruka's bedside. But apparently he had no choice. "Fine, ojisan, fine."

Iruka chuckled. Kakashi could be so standoffish. But, once you got to know him, the scarecrow really wasn't a bad guy. In fact, Iruka was sort of glad that no one liked (loved) Kakashi the way he did. It meant he got to have the Copy nin all to himself. And he was just fine with that.

**a/n: **Hey hey! Since Kakashi and Iruka haven't come back from their little (cough nudge) romp yet,(whatever the hell that means) I had to get subs for the closing A/N. Isn't that right Naruto?

**Naruto:** Believe it, Tsuki-san!

**tsukiraven: **No, not Tsuki-san. Raven is fine Naruto. Can you say Raven.

**Sasuke: **--bored stare-- Hnn...

**Naruto: **Hmph. Teme.

**tsukiraven: **Give me strength... Sorry if this chappie wasn't exactly up to par, but it took me all day to write, and I did it in little bits and pieces. The next one will be better. Pinky promise.

**Reviewer Responses: **

**Rathrahk: Rakshi of Yaoi: **--dances in confetti-- Thanks a bunch.

**riotgirl8268: **He heh... I had to put myself in somewhere.

**Sasuke12: **Bwagh... Curse the middle name of doom!

**t0shi0: **Thanks for reviewing, Daichii!

**Icy Sapphire15: **Blasted IV's! Glad you liked your cookie.

**Midnyte Grimm: **Thanks for pointing out my mistake. I tend to make lots of em... and less mistakes is always better.

**anon: **Thank you, I always try to update fast, ASAP indeed. Sasuke has more Inner Thoughts later on, so stay tuned!

**freezekitten: **Thanks for the long review! I always think that my style has worsened, but hey, the customer is always right. Or reviewer. Whatever. But thanks!

**svartkitten: **Thanks for both of your generous reviews, couldn't write without 'em. Here's another chappie!

**black-n-white-stockings: **Heh heh... Thank you! But yes, the title is from Rent, in keeping with the story's theme.

**a/n: **Okay, that brings chappie 4 to a close. Thanks for the kind words; they really help me write. Peace Out!


	5. One Song Glory

**tsukiraven: **My loyal readers! I'm soooo sorry! Please forgive me, I have not updated as fast as I have promised. The FFN admins froze my account temporarily, but I'm back now. Back and ready to roll! So, without much further ado, please allow me to start chappie five! Thank you and enjoi!

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 5**_

_Hehe... Hi! My name's Iruka! What's yours?_

_Mizuki... It's nice to meet you, Iruka._

"I honestly don't see why I have to stay in bed for a month. A whole month!" Iruka complained and complained but to no avail. Kakashi held the wriggling chuunin fast as Iruka clung to Kakashi from fear of falling.

Kakashi had decided that the hospital was no place for the chuunin to be. It was depressing and sad and did not fit the description of his Ruka at all. So, Kakashi had decided to... well, Iruka called it 'kidnapping'. Kakashi preferred to call it 'relocation'. He had stated that the best place for the dolphin was to be at home, Kakashi's home to be exact. So, after making sure that Raven's back had been turned, Kakashi swept Iruka up and fled, jumping from roof to roof in order to get home fast enough. Iruka gave up trying to free himself and gave Kakashi a halfhearted glare. "You could get in trouble, Kakashi."

Kakashi curved his eye at the man in his arms. "Maa... Iruka, whatever happens happens and Tsunade guaranteed me a month. I will use said month to its fullest extent, thank you very much. She should've specified if she didn't want you to leave the hospital."

Pouting, Iruka gave up. If the jounin had made up his mind, he had made up his mind. There was no escaping it. "Just promise that we'll be back tomorrow to meet Tsunade, okay?"

Kakashi shrugged, leaping a gap between two buildings with ease. Iruka used his best teacher voice and said sternly, "Kakashi... that was a direct order from the Hokage, we can't ignore it." When Kakashi continued to continue on in his nonchalant way, Iruka decided a change of plans was in order. Switching from teacher mode to irresistibly cute mode Iruka gazed up at Kakashi, his large brown eyes filled with adoration. "Please, Kakashi-koi," Iruka mentally smirked at his use of the suffix, "If we get in trouble Tsunade-sama might not let me leave the hospital anymore." _'Bingo.' _Kakashi visibly twitched and sighed.

"Alright Iruka, we'll be back in time to meet Tsunade." Iruka smiled and threw his arms around Kakashi in a hug. _'Yes! Score: Umino Iruka 1, Hatake Kakashi... 6.'_

Kakashi smiled at his Ruka, landing in front of an old-fashioned single apartment with a soft thump. "And, we're home!"

-----------

"GAHH!" Iruka screeched and jumped out of the shower. "Kakashi! You used all of the hot water!"

A messy-haired, grinning Kakashi stuck his head out of a room down the hall. "Ahh.. Sorry, Ruka. I forgot to pay the bill this month."

Iruka scowled, and sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Pay it tomorrow alright?" Kakashi smiled and went to meet his lover halfway.

"I can go pay it later if you want."

"Don't you dare! If we're going to be home together one day, then paying a bill can wait." Kakashi's smile widened, and he reached forward and scooped his Ruru up, snuggling the younger man. Iruka smiled softly, forgetting about the cold water. He was content with the warmth found in his Kashi's arms.

Kakashi leaned down and pressed his unmasked lips to his lover's. This was what he had been waiting for. This kiss, this contact with Iruka. He pulled said man closer and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into Iruka's mouth. He caressed the chuunin's head with one hand, moving the other hand down to massage the small of Iruka's back gently. Iruka gave a small moan and leaned into the passionate kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around the jounin's neck.

When a need for oxygen persisted, Kakashi slowly pulled away from Iruka, threading his fingers through the young man's hair. "Iruka," he whispered. "I love you..."

Iruka nuzzled Kakashi's throat, soft and pale from lack of exposure to sunlight. "I love you too, Kashi."

"Your Kashi."

Iruka grinned and kissed the curve of Kakashi's neck. "My Kashi."

Kakashi pulled Iruka back for another kiss, happily affixing his lips to the dolphin's. Iruka sunk into a relaxed position against him and Kakashi smiled against his lips. Cute, there was hardly any other word his could use to describe Iruka at that moment. The man was freaking adorable. Iruka pulled back and gazed at Kakashi. Blushing, he ran a tanned finger across the jounin's jaw line. "Kakashi, I want--"

"IRUKA-SENSEI! ARE YOU THERE!" Both Kakashi and Iruka jumped. Iruka, stunned, averted his eyes from Kakashi and looked at the door. A banging noise was reverberating from the opposite side. Kakashi glared menacingly at the offending barrier. Threading his fingers through Iruka's he pulled the disoriented chuunin towards the door. Sighing, Kakashi looked through the small opening near the top. "Naruto," he sighed again. "Sasuke and Sakura. Should I let them in?"

Halfheartedly, Iruka nodded. He couldn't just let his former students stand there, could he? Kakashi tugged the door open, watching in amusement as an overzealous orange blur whipped past him and latched onto Iruka. Iruka jumped back, his legs giving out as he crumpled to the floor under the weight of Naruto. "Sensei!" Naruto cried. "Sensei!"

Naruto smiled widely, but squawked when he was lifted as if he were an empty sack. Turning around, he came face to face with an annoyed Kakashi. "Iruka just left the hospital," Kakashi stated, tossing Naruto aside and helping Iruka up. "I'd prefer if you didn't kill him."

Naruto scowled, but accepted Sakura's hand when she offered to help him up. Unbeknownst to everyone else in the room, Sasuke glared.

"Iruka-sensei, we brought you these flowers," Sakura held out a bouquet of flowers, which Iruka gladly accepted. "Are you out of the hospital for good now?"

Iruka scratched the back of his head. "Well, you see that's a funny story..."

"I kidnapped him." Kakashi said, with the air of someone who had just received an 84 on a mediocre test. Absolutely nothing special.

The three genins in the room fixed Kakashi with a horrified stare. Well, horrified in Sakura and Naruto's case; Sasuke just had one eyebrow raised for effect.

"Y-you...you... You Kidnapped Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto shrieked.

Kakashi chuckled. "Well, that's what he likes to call it."

Sasuke sighed. "You took him without permission, didn't you?"

Kakashi tapped his nose with his index finger. "Very good, Sasuke. I see your powers of deduction have not yet faded." Naruto laughed openly. Sasuke glared at the blonde. "Well, anyway... I was about to make breakfast. I suppose you'll want to stay?"

"Hah! I'll bet Kakashi-sensei can't cook for beans!" Naruto pointed at the silver haired man, who shrugged.

"I'll let you be the judge of that. I'll even make ramen for you, how's that?"

"YEAH! Ramen ramen ramen!" Naruto smiled widely in an endearing way, and glommed onto Kakashi's leg.

"Hey... leggo..." Kakashi tried to shake Naruto off, and the fox backed away slightly, grinning and rubbing the back of his head. "So, ramen and then training sound good?" Everyone nodded and followed Kakashi into the kitchen.

----------

"Ugghhh... I'm beat." Iruka flopped onto the couch in a tired way. "Who knew that Naruto was getting to be such a good ninja?"

"You," Kakashi pulled down his mask and yanked Iruka over to his end of the couch, cuddling the dolphin tightly. "You always believed in him."

"Mmm... true. But Sasuke was awfully rough with him today. Is he always so aggressive?"

"No, not normally. I noticed that too. Ah, the perils of angst in the springtime of youth."

Iruka couldn't conceal his grin. "Okay Gai." He snuggled into the scarecrow's chest, smiling the whole time. "I'm so tired."

Kakashi yawned. "Yeah, so am I. I'm going to hit the hay, care to join me?"

Still smiling, Iruka allowed himself to be pulled up by Kakashi. "Of course."

-----------

"Iruka... Hey Iruka..." Someone was calling him. His mom? No, that was a male's voice...

"C'mon Ruru, wake up." His dad never called him Ruru. Who could it be then?

"Alrighty, you can stay asleep as long as you want, but..." It wasn't Mizuki...

"... We'll be late to see Tsunade." Kakashi! They were going to be late!

Iruka sat bolt upright, shaking off his confusion and tiredness. He glared accusingly at his lover, who lay next to him, arm still around his waist. "Hey, don't look at me. I've been trying to wake you up for a half hour now." Kakashi gave him an adorable smile and hugged him, pulling Iruka back into the midst of fluffy pillows and blankets. "If you wanna be late though..."

"Kakashi! We've gotta go!" Kakashi smirked and kissed his belligerent lover quickly. Iruka didn't even try to hold a proper glare anymore. Sighing in defeat, he shuffled his way over to the bathroom, preparing for the day ahead. Ignoring the seemingly reasonable numbness in his feet, Iruka jumped into the shower, only to yell when it came on full blast. "Kakashi! Cold water!"

Kakashi winced. "Try turning the hot water all the way up!" He was rewarded with another yell, this one a little different. "Hot! Hot!" Shaking his head, Kakashi smiled and went about getting dressed. He pulled out his normal uniform for himself and was halfway dressed when he realized that he had not brought any spare clothes for Iruka. "Ahh..."

Kakashi sat down in thought. Maybe he had something that would fit the younger man...

Iruka entered the room 15 minutes later, completely distraught and wearing only a towel around his waist. Kakashi gave Iruka a once over and grinned. Iruka scrunched up his face in a cute imitation of a glare and stuck out his tongue. "Kashi, do you have any clothes?"

"That's what I was just thinking. You can wear these I suppose..." Kakashi tossed Iruka a pair of sweatpants. "And these," The sweatpants were followed by a baggy black tee shirt and a dark blue hoodie. "That should do."

Iruka nodded and made to put on the clothing. After a moment he stopped and glared at Kakashi. "Could you... turn around?"

Kakashi scoffed lightly. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before."

"Kakashi..."

"Fine, fine," Kakashi sighed and yanked down his hitai-ate until it covered both of his eyes. "Happy?"

"Yes, thank you." Iruka was already half way into the sweatpants when he noticed the cocky grin on Kakashi's face. Then realization struck him. "Damn it Kakashi! You're using your sharingan, aren't you!" The grin widened. Iruka threw a pillow at the jounin's head, only for Kakashi to dodge it at the last minute.

"Now, now Ruka. If you don't hurry we really will be late."

---------

"So... I heard you two have caused an incident?" Tsunade arched a delicate brow. "Well?"

Iruka, back on his hospital bed, fidgeted nervously. "Yeah..."

"They snuck out when I wasn't looking," Raven muttered.

Tsunade sighed. "It didn't occur to you that Iruka needed his treatment? Tch tch tch. How irresponsible." Kakashi rolled his visible eye. "Anyway, I'll stop avoiding it and tell you about the poison." Kakashi and Iruka leaned forward. "As you know, the poison is called Henshitsu toxin." The two men nodded. "It's a slow acting venom, perfect for torture." Iruka paled. "Perfectly lethal on its own, but it won't kill you for about three months unless combined with a special herb. Our tests say it wasn't. But it... Do either of you know what 'Henshitsu' translates to?" They both shook their heads, anxious.

"It means 'deterioration'," Raven cut in. "The poison deteriorates at you senses and muscle tissue until you are unable to move, speak coherently, or basically do anything for yourself. Eventually... eventually, it will work its way up to your brain tissue, Iruka-sensei. Your memories, personality, and sense of self will all be destroyed unless the antidote is administered in time. Soon after, the toxin becomes lethal." Raven said.

"Said antidote can only be found where the poison is," Tsunade stated. "In Sunagakure. I would send Kakashi, but I'd rather have every jounin on hand here just in case. So, I'll send the three other people that I'm positive Iruka would- and will have to- trust with his life. Okay," she called towards the door. "You can send them in."

The door opened with a creak. In came Sasuke, followed by Naruto and Sakura. All three of them looked at Iruka first. They had obviously been briefed on the poison situation. At the thought of his sensei dying, Naruto's eyes filled with tears. Stubbornly, he wiped them away.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke will be traveling to Suna over the next month. They can expect possible attacks, ambushes, and vicious offense. We have ruled out the possibility that Kazekage Gaara is involved. He will be a valuable asset when obtaining the antidote, so _don't screw this up."_ Tsunade said the last four words with such vehemence that no one dared say anything. "The life of one of the best chuunins that Konohagakure has ever seen is in your hands. Sasuke... Naruto... Sakura, do you accept your mission?"

All three nodded in unison, grim lines of determination set on their young faces. Iruka, meanwhile, was feeling very faint. _'I can't believe it. I refuse to. Three months... and then I'll die.'_

Kakashi seemed to sense what his lover was feeling, and squeezed him tightly. "Don't worry," he said, his voice pitched so that only Iruka could hear him. "As long as I'm alive, I won't let you die."

**a/n: **That's it for this chappie! Sorry for no omakes or reviewer responses, but I must fly! Ja matte! Peace out until next time!


	6. Light My Candle

**a/n: **Ha cha! I'm back with more!

**Sasuke: **...

**tsukiraven: **Why are you still here? I thought you left.

**Naruto: **No, Kakashi and Iruka-sensei just haven't gotten back yet.

**Sasuke: **...

**tsukiraven: **--nervously-- Er... (she can't stand extended silences)

**Sasuke: ...**

**Gaara: ...**

**Naruto: ...**(thinks: Hey this is fun!)

**tsukiraven: **Ugh... MAKE IT STOP! --fetal position--

**Gaara: **--tomb of sand thingy-- Well... that was almost too easy...

**Sasuke: **Indeed... Almost.

**Naruto: **AHAHAHAA! She's trapped in Gaara's sand!

**tsukiraven: **Kakashi and Iruka never gave me this kind of trouble! --sob--

**Sasuke: **Too bad. As for Miss Raven here, she owns neither Naruto or Rent. But, she wishes that you would all enjoy this piece of fiction and review it.

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 6**_

_I want to be there... because I love you Kakashi. We love you, we're a team. All three of us._

_Love can get you killed Obito. _

Kakashi didn't want to believe it. His precious Iruka was going to die. Three months. No... Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't let it happen. _He _wouldn't let it happen. Never.

What point was there? What value did his life have if Iruka wasn't there? The man meant everything to Kakashi, there was nothing else. Nothing without his smile, his optimism, his eyes, his voice. Nothing. No, there was something... A hollow world not even worth inhabiting.

In his lap, Iruka was stunned. Kakashi leaned down to his lover's level and whispered comforts. He tried his hardest to actually believe them himself. He felt Iruka's heart beat slow, a sign that the smaller man had calmed some.

Tsunade stood up, a grim look on her face. _'Of course. A ninja of Konoha with an illness that she can't cure. She must be devastated that she can't help.' _Kakashi thought sadly. "I'll leave you in Nurse Raven's capable care for now," Tsunade stated. "Doctor Koru, if you'll walk with me there are some things I'd like to ask you." Without further words, Tsunade and the doctor left the hospital room.

The three younger nins stood awkwardly by the doorway. Naruto fidgeted, Sakura cleared her throat, and Sasuke stared at the floor. Kakashi felt sorry for them. Iruka sat silently in his lap, eyes downcast.

"Umm..." Sakura began nervously. "Are you in any pain Iruka-sensei? Do you need something?"

Iruka smiled wanly. "No thank you Sakura, I'm okay." Kakashi squeezed Iruka tighter, just a bit.

Naruto sniffed. Sakura discreetly laced her arm through his. Sasuke glared, hurt, at the two of them. Then he looked away, so quick that if Kakashi was any less of a ninja he would have doubted what he saw before. But they were his students. He knew. But he didn't interfere. He would leave that to them.

He heard Iruka sniffle a bit and looked down at the chuunin. Iruka's eyes, so easy to read, were filled with glistening tears. _'Oh damn...' _

"I think that I'll take Iruka home now," Kakashi hefted the smaller man into his arms and stood, surveying his students. "Come by before you leave tomorrow okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Kakashi darted out through the open window, Iruka in his arms.

Raven sighed. "Twice. That's twice that they slipped through my fingers."

Sakura looked up at the nurse. "But, you let them go didn't you?"

"Yeah... That's a different point." Blank looks. "Kakashi-san is trying to help Iruka-sensei in his own way." Raven smiled. "He'll probably do a better job at it than all of the medicine that I can give him."

---------

Iruka leaned against the jounin's chest as they hurtled from rooftop to rooftop. He didn't even try to resist. As long as he was in Kakashi's arms, it was all okay.

He snuggled deeper against the man, smiling slightly. Was he being silly? He didn't think so...

_Iruka smiled as he walked throughout town, snow falling heavily from the heavens. Nodding cordially to a few people as he passed, he stepped inside a promising looking shop. A small girl with long black hair stood in front of the register, debating with the shop owner, a buxom blond woman. Iruka continued to smile as he happily went about his business. He had a gift to pick out for the love of his life. Kakashi Hatake._

_It had been a month since he had started shopping, and he still couldn't figure out what to get the man. It was beginning to grate on his nerves, the holidays were coming up so fast._

_"I'm telling you," he heard the girl insist. "It's fatal. My Mom said it was!" Iruka grinned mentally at her defiance. Children that age often believed whatever their parents told them. He wondered if she was an Academy student yet._

_"Only if the antidote isn't found in time," the woman behind the counter argued back. "It can cause severe brain damage and irreversable muscle damage yes, but it won't be fatal if the antidote is taken in time."_

_"Nyeh, nyeh. Hey, why don't I ask him?" Iruka heard footsteps, and felt a small tug on his sleeve. He looked down into a pair of large green eyes. "Hey mister-sensei-sir? It Henshitsu poison fatal?"_

_Iruka gaped. He was looking at a child Raven. "I... uh..."_

_The woman rolled her eyes. "You see? That's what you get when you ask a chuunin." She strolled out from behind the counter, and looked Iruka square in the eye. "Hey, you're pale," Tsunade stated. "Are you okay?"_

_"Well," The childhood Raven spoke, in a much older, more mature voice. The voice Iruka knew her to have. "It looks like he could be suffering from Henshitsu poisoning. What do you think, Hokage-sama?"_

_"Hmmm..." Tsunade looked at him, analyzing his appearance. "Yes, he seems to have it. Well, Rae-chan, we'll finally have an end to our debate won't we?"_

_Raven let go of Iruka's sleeve and clapped twice. "Yay! I'll go get the doctor!" Raven ran over to the edge of the store and tapped lightly on an oak doorframe. "Mister doctor!" The door opened with a rich laugh. Out stepped a tall man, in his early twenties. Lavender hair hung to his chin and he beamed in a casually elegant way. Almost any other time he would have fallen for this man, but Iruka wouldn't be so careless and naive. Not again. _

_"Mi- Mizuki..." Iruka stammered, looking the "Doctor" in the eyes. Mizuki grinned. _

_"Why, Iruka-koi!" Iruka flinched. "I haven't seen you in so long! Come, give your lover a hug."_

_Iruka didn't move. Mizuki scowled, but the expression passed like a scuttling cloud. "Another time perhaps. I'm here to test you for Henshitsu." Mizuki pulled out a wicked sharp kunai knife. "Don't worry love, this won't hurt all that much." _

Iruka awoke to the sounds of his own screaming. Darkness invaded his vision and he tried to wipe his eyes to remove whatever was covering them. When he found nothing, he began to scratch.

"Iruka! _Iruka! _Stop it, you'll hurt yourself!" He felt a pair of strong hands over his, comfortably cool and soft. Iruka blinked until his vision came back. When it did (albiet blurry) he threw himself into Kakashi's arms. The stunned jounin caught him, holding him as close as possible until he calmed down.

Iruka cried. He cried because he was scared. He cried because he thought he was weak. He cried because he could. And he cried because he knew he was going to die.

Kakashi held him tight until he fell back into a mercifully dreamless slumber.

---------

"Bye Iruka-sensei," Naruto said happily. "I'm gonna get all kinds of different ramen in Suna! Wait an' see! When I come back, I'll definetly become Hokage!" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Try not to forget the actual reason you're going, please." Kakashi stated sharply.

"Ano saa, ano saa. I won't forget Kakashi-no-baka-sensei!" Kakashi gritted his teeth beneth the mask. "Take care of Iruka-sensei, or you'll have to answer to me!"

"I'd do it anyway, don't you worry. Goodbye Sasuke, Sakura. Take care of each other."

Sasuke nodded coolly. Sakura smiled. "Don't worry Kakashi-sensei! I'll keep an eye on them!" Kakashi chuckled lightly.

"Do you have everything?" Iruka asked, concerned. "Food, water, money--"

"It's alright Iruka-sensei," Sasuke supplied. "We have everything on the Hokage's list."

"Iruka-sensei," Sakura began mater of factly. "Make sure you go to the hospital for check-ups every other day. And take your medicine too!"

"I will Sakura-chan. You three be careful now, don't take any unnecesary risks." Iruka smiled.

"Yeah, don't go with strangers." Kakashi said easily. With a side glance at Naruto, he added "Even if they offer you ramen."

Naruto scowled. "You really think that I'm that stupid?" As the trio of gennins walked off, the un-said word 'yes' hung in the air over their heads.

Iruka leaned against Kakashi's shoulder. "Come back in one piece," he whispered. Smiling lightly, he let the jounin lead him back into the house.

---------

**tsukiraven: **Mmm! Hmph mm mmm! MMGGHH!

**Gaara: **Maybe the sands are too tight...

**Naruto: **Ano saa, she looks funny! Eh, Gaara-chan?

**Gaara: **--rigid-- What... did you just call me...?

**Naruto: **What? Gaara-chan? It's cute. Would you prefer Gaa-chan? Gaara-kun? Gaara-chu? Gaara-Rin? Gaara-Cookie?

**Gaara: **Gaara-cookie?

**tsukiraven: **MMMMHHH! UMMMM. Mmm-mmm! --crying by now--

**Sasuke: **(after observing everything) Gaara...

**Naruto: **Yeah, Gaara-cookie! It's cute, I like it! Gaa-cookie's cuter though. Which one do you like?

**Sasuke: **Gaara...!

**Naruto: **I like them all, pick whichever one you want!

**Gaara: **--about to kill Naruto--

**Sasuke: **Gaara, that's not Naruto.

**Gaara: **...?

**Sasuke:** --points to tsukiraven-- That's Naruto. --points to fake Naruto-- Raven used henge and substitution jutsu to get out of the sands.

**Gaara: **How...?

**tsukiraven: **This is my fic so what I say goes! And there's gonna be some changes around here...

**a/n: **Review please! Sorry for no responses; I am being brutally forced off of the computer even as we speak. Ja matte! Peace out!


	7. Today For You

**a/n: **Hullo, hullo all. I am here to bring you another chappie of I'll Cover You! Aren't you glad?

**Gaara: **...

**Sasuke: **Not really...

**Naruto: **YOU CRAZY B-TCH! YOU TRAPPED ME IN GAARA'S SANDS!

**tsukiraven: **... Hey don't make me call the fangirls.

**All: ...**

**tsukiraven: **Nyeh, nyeh. Alrighty, then. Before we get started, I'd like to say--

**Iruka: **Hi there!

**Kakashi: **Yo!

**tsukiraven: **(sparkly eyes) You... You're back! --tackle hug-- I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life! Waagghhh! They were so horrible to me...

**Kakashi: **There, there. It's all okay now.

**Iruka: **Ahh, It's good to be back! Anyway, Miss Raven doesn't own Naruto, Rent, or any related products. Someone outbid her at the last second.

**tsukiraven: **Damn those auction sharks.

**Lookie, a distraction: **Where to begin... KakaIru, IruKaka, NaruSaku, SasuSaku, implied SasuNaru, SasuSakuNaru, JiraiyaTsu, Yaoi, maleXmale, het, spoilers, angst like you wouldn't believe, and more stuff that I can't think of!

**It's a Dedication: **I'd like to give a special thanks to **Icy Sapphire15! **Your reviewer reply made my week! Thanks for reading. Much love!

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 7**_

_Hey, did you see that new guy? What's his name?_

_Oh him? That's Iruka Umino._

Naruto hated sand. Naruto hated Sasuke. Put it all together, and guess what you don't get? A happy Naruto, that's what. They had reached the border of Sand country and it had only taken the three gennin a week. Hah! And Tsunade-baa-chan said it would take them a month. They'd be back in three weeks, no problem!

Naruto walked next to Sakura. By deftly placing her in the middle of their group, he could avoid any unnecesary contact with the sullen Uchiha heir. Then again, Sasuke didn't seem so comfortable next to Naruto either. Even less so next to Sakura.

Naruto noticed the nervous glances that Sakura kept sending Sasuke. Why was she looking at him? Why notice him at all? Sure he was handsome, dark, broody, smart, and a skilled ninja, but why? He was also grumpy and...um... grumpy. Damn. But Sakura had definetly told him that she was over Sasuke, right? That she was ready to move on, find some one new and all that. Then why was she still looking at Sasuke? Why Sasuke at all? It was always Sasuke!

Why couldn't Sakura notice that Naruto loved her, would die for her, and was _right here. _Right here, dammit! Because she was too busy paying attention to Sasuke, that's why!

Sasuke slid his eyes over to Naruto. He shook his head lightly and sighed, averting his gaze back to the sand covered path ahead. Did Naruto mentioned he hated sand? The only person who had so much affection for the stuff that he knew was Gaara. And Gaara was crazy. Goes to show you, doesn't it.

Once again, Sasuke slid his gaze over Sakura onto Naruto. He repeated the process several times before Naruto realized what was going on. He wasn't looking at him, he was looking at Sakura! That bastard!

---

Later on that night, the three weary travellers stopped for rest. Despite Naruto's almost constant protests, a shinobi could not live on the 'thrill of the mission' alone.

Sasuke stepped out of the group's camp, letting the cool breeze of the desert's night wash over his skin. Why? Why did Sakura do this to him? It should be fine to him for her to be with the Dobe, but nuuu. He had to get all jealous and huffy for no aparant reason. It was emotions like these that tied him down, kept him from getting stronger. Kept him from defeating Itachi.

_Sakura... why..._

He could see her. Laughing, a slight blush on her cheeks. Her green eyes were light, obviously laughing at something the dobe did. It made him furious.

"Ano saa, ano saa Sakura-chan! I'm just gonna go see what's taking Sasuke-teme so long! I'll be right back." Naruto stumbled out of the camping area as well, brushing off his jacket and smirking.

Naruto fumbled his way up to were Sasuke was standing, smile fading with each step he took. "Sasuke..." Naruto now stood sullenly next to the taller boy, neither one willing to look at the other. "Sakura-chan wants you to come back to camp."

"No."

"She's worried about you, bastard."

"I'm thinking. Go away."

"We're your _teammates _Sasuke. Sakura's been dead deppressed lately because of you!" The growling undertone did not go unnoticed in Naruto's voice. "Why won't you tell her that you're okay?"

_'Because every time I see you two together, it makes me wish I really had left the Leaf forever,' _Sasuke thought angrilly. He wisely chose to maintain his stoney silence.

Suddenly, he was roughly pulled around to face Naruto. The blonde was steaming mad. Tints of red appeared in the cerulean eyes, peaking Sasuke's curiousity. What _was_ Naruto? "If you make her cry again," Naruto growled, low and deathly serious, "I will kill you."

---------

It was worse than Iruka could imagine. Not only was he living with the threat that he could die in three month's time, but he had been stuck in Kakashi's house for a week. A full week! Even the children at the Academy got more work than this.

He was hungry and he was tired and he was bored and weak. He was hungry because the backlash of the anti-toxin he was on caused his stomach to shrink. Whenever he did try to ingest something other than soup, he threw it back up. He was tired because he would often wake up screaming from some horrible nightmare. So he decided not to sleep. He was bored because he hadn't seen Kakashi in three damn days because of some stupid errand. And he was weak... did he really have to say it?

A banging from the front of Kakashi's large apartment knocked Iruka out of his reverie. Who was it? Kakashi?

No sooner than this thought had entered his head was it confirmed when a shaggy, silver headed jounin ambled into the room. Iruka's eyes lit up and he immedietly made his way over to the doorway of Kakashi's bedroom. "Kakashi!"

The one visible eye crinkled. "Yo, Ruka."

Iruka was infuriated. "'Yo'? That's all you have to say to me? Three days and just a 'yo'?"

Kakashi pulled down his mask, smiled tiredly at his overly worked up dolphin. "I'm sorry, Ruka. Just sleepy." Kakashi didn't want to mention how frustraited he was that he had managed to not obtain a solid lead on Mizuki's whereabouts. But, he felt really awful that he had left his Ruru home alone for so long when he was sick.

"Yeah yeah... 'Sleepy'. All I've been doing is sleeping!" Iruka scoffed. Kakashi slung his arms around Iruka's waist in an attempt to pacify the younger man.

"I'm sorry Ruka," Kakashi whispered, kissing his way along Iruka's neck. "Forgive me?"

"Uhhnn..." Iruka moaned lightly, eyes drooping. Sighing, he leaned into Kakashi's embrace. When Kakashi planted a loving kiss on the shell of Iruka's ear, the dolphin's eyes snapped back open. "Agghh! You! _YOU!"_

Kakashi blinked. "Me what?"

"You! You do that! you come in here all late and... and _cool, _And then when I'm mad you do the holding thing and the kissing thing and then I forget why I'm mad at you completely!"

Blink. "What do you--"

"And it always works, too! And that's not fair!"

Kakashi nodded solemly. "You're right Iruka."

Iruka blinked, surprised. "Huh?"

"You're absolutely right. I was wrong to leave you here for three days, alone none the less." Kakashi put on his best sullen, seductive face. It was a damn good face. "I've been so naughty... Punish me."

Iruka's jaw dropped. "Wha?"

"Punish me sensei. Puh-lease punish me!" Kakashi bowed his head slightly, peering at Iruka through long lashes. Iruka could never resist this. Not that he'd ever tried it more than once.

Iruka blinked a few times, and then sighed. Shrugging, he said "You're right Kakashi. You've been very bad. You need," Iruka stepped closer to Kakashi, his eyes fogged, "to learn a lesson."

Kakashi brought his arms up to rest on the young teacher's waist. "Yes, sensei," he crooned.

Iruka looked up at Kakashi, smiling innocently. Wait- innocently? That didn't fit the current mood at all... "Okay then! You're puishment will be... the windows."

"Huh..." Kakashi was in the midst of lowering himself down into Iruka's neck when the chuunin's chirupy voice broke through his train of thought. "What... windows?"

Iruka pulled away from Kakashi. "Yes, windows. I would like them washed please."

"Whaaa? But, Ruka, I thought we were gonna... you know..."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Do I now?"

"Yeah you know," Kakashi made a suggestive motion with his hips. Iruka blanched.

"W-well, Kashi-koi," Iruka smiled, devilishly sweet. "What kind of a punishment would that be? You'll get your desert after you eat your dinner." Kakashi grinned wickedly, pulled his mask back up and headed out the door. Hand on the knob he paused and turned around.

"Any chance I could be excused from the table?" Iruka shook his head. Kakashi sighed and stepped out into the sunshine. "Be warned sensei- I'll be back for desert later. And I'll have you know that I have quite a sweet tooth!"

---------

**tsukiraven: **Wow... that was full of inuendo and dirty images.

**Kakashi: **Good job. --reads Icha Icha--

**tsukiraven: **(mumbling to herself) I dunno, I dunno... If I wanna keep the rating, I may hafta tone it down a tad... Or maybe I should just up it. And I should throw in some angst soon... Some SasuSakuNaru should be fine... then there's the MizuIru, can't forget that.

**Naruto: **Ano saa... Iruka-sensei can I ask you a question?

**Iruka: **Of course Naruto! Ask me anything you like.

**Naruto: **What were you and Kakashi-sensei doing while you weren't here?

**All: **...

**Kakashi: **You see, Naruto... We were...

**Iruka: **Cooking!

**Sasuke: **...Cooking?

**Kakashi: **Yes! Cooking. You know... --winks at Iruka-- When you add the right spices the flavor can be positively... what word should I use... sensual.

**tsukiraven: **--dead faint-- XD

**a/n: **Thanks so much for all of the sweet words, keep 'em coming! I write for reviews!

To answer a reviewer's question, yes I have seen Kakahsi without his mask. Yes, he is freakin' amazing under there!

The line "Punish me sensei" Is from Meleth's "Look! Look!". An excellent fic which you should all go read.


	8. Goodbye, My Old Love

**tsukiraven: **I got Rent! I got Rent! I am absolutely overjoyed because...

**Naruto: **(whispered to Sasuke and Sakura) She got Rent?

**tsukiraven: **Because I got Rent! --happy tworl--

**Sasuke: **What the hell? You spelled "twirl" wrong.

**tsukiraven: **No, I didn't.

**Sasuke: **Yes, you did. You clearly replaced the i with an o. You wrote tworl. Not twirl.

**tsukiraven: **It's **my **ficcy and I'll damn well do as I please! As a matter of fact Sasuke, I think I'd like you better drunk!

**Sakura: **You can't just do that do Sasuke-kun!

**Sasuke: **(draped over Naruto) --yawns-- You're so pretty, Naru-chan...

**tsukiraven: **Yes, and I think I'd like Naruto better in beige, Sakura better with a mohawk, Kakashi with an eye patch instead of a Konoha headband, Iruka with his hair down, Gaara with a heart on his temple instead of a kanji character, and... and... --falls asleep--

**Kakashi: **Aww.. she ranted herself to sleep again.

**Iruka: **(motherly smile) She'll sleep well tonight.

**Naruto: **Arrgghh! Gerrof me, Sasuke-bastard! Thank God that Tsuki-san doesn't own us, or Rent. Think of what would happen!

**Sakura: **--shudders-- Mohawk...

_**I'll Cover You, Chappie 8**_

_If you expect everything Iruka, you'll never get anything. I don't expect everything... just you. Can you do it?_

_N...No, Mizuki. I can't. I think that I love you, but I can't._

These images... they haunted him. Terrified and tormented him. Iruka was a man of strength. Of dignity and (some could object to this) innocence. And, he was loyal. Loyal like the ninjas of the village that he loved. Loyal like the nin-dogs of the man he loved. But this... this was a feeling beyond any place of low. This was filthy.

Mizuki was a past thing. Someone that he had honestly thought that he had loved with all of his heart. Until he betrayed him.

_Iruka lay on his bed, thinking of the days previous events. Naruto had not been able to pass, and part of the sensei felt very, very guilty. Like, in some way he was prejudiced against the Kyuubi-vessel from the very start._

_'It's alright,' Mizuki had purred into his ear one night. 'It's natural that you dislike Uzumaki-kun for what he had done to you.' And Iruka had clung to those word in an attempt to give himself a solid reason for hating Naruto. _

_But now that he had failed... something had stirred inside of the chuunin. Sympathy for another orphan, perhaps?_

_---_

_Now he was chasing Mizuki. The man that he supposedly loved. The man that had brainwashed him into hating Naruto so he could have his way with stealing the scroll. _

_Disguised as Naruto, he leapt from branch to branch, a disguised log on his back, henge-ed to look like a scroll. A lithe form sprung from the branches beside him. It was himself._

_"Naruto, everything Mizuki said right now was a lie! Just give me the scroll and we can talk about this! Please Naruto!" The doppelganger said. Iruka, in Naruto's borrowed form, narrowed his eyes and drove his shoulder straight into the imposter's stomach. The force of the blow knocked them both backwards and sent them sprawling to the ground. _

_With a poof of gray colored smoke, Iruka was Mizuki again. "How did you know I wasn't your sensei?" He asked. A hard, leery edge that Iruka had never heard presided, and it scared the dolphin._

_"Because I am." Iruka, releasing his own henge, tossed the now useless log aside. "Mizuki--"_

_"I know, you're going to ask me 'why' right?" Mizuki stood and walked the short distance to Iruka, placed his fingers under the dolphin's chin and lifted. The two stared into each other's eyes. "Why? Well, I've heard that good sensei's always ask good questions. But 'why' is so general..."_

_"Mizuki, I--"_

_"Shush, shush. You see, Iruka, I want it all. Power, money, sex, all of it. I want you too, lover." Mizuki blew a heated puff of breath onto Iruka's cheek. Iruka had never felt more cold. "You said you'd be with me, didn't you? Come with me Iruka."_

_Mizuki's fingers pressed dangerously close on his throat. Iruka swallowed hard. "Wha...what?"_

_Mizuki crushed his lips against Iruka. After a moment, he pulled back and smiled. A loving, warm smile that promised Iruka that everything would be alright. Mizuki would be there to love and protect him for as long as they were together. Above said smile was a pair of cold, calculating eyes. Iruka shuddered._

_"Come with me... Be with me, Iruka. I love you. Don't let your desire to coddle one orphan fox blind you to that. I was your first kiss, Iruka. Your first love, you said it yourself. You were the first one that I ever truly loved. Come with me... I could be your first everything," Mizuki lowered his spare hand to skim the length of Iruka's inner thigh. Iruka shuddered again._

_It was like he was seeing his love for the first time. No... not his love. Mizuki, a man named Mizuki. Someone who had used Iruka's influence into the Academy to infiltrate and exert his own power over Naruto. Someone who had betrayed him someone who never loved him. _

_"Your first love," Mizuki continued, pressing his lips against Iruka's cheek, "Your first lover," He began to trail kisses down Iruka's throat. "Your only lover... Iruka, stay with me. Forget about Naruto, forget about Konoha. Everything except me. Let me be your life." Mizuki pulled himself away from Iruka, sitting back on his heels. "I've heard, in the new village of the Sound, there's a legendary ninja- Orochimaru--"_

_"Stop. Mizuki... you don't know what you're saying--"_

_This time, Mizuki interrupted Iruka. "I don't know? Orochimaru--"_

_"Betrayed the village!"_

_"So did I."_

_"Why?"_

_"The power Iruka. Orochimaru can grant eternal life. Come with me. Leave this village that you say you love so much, and join me. Forever... we could be together forever." Mizuki's eyes sparkled dangerously. _

_"I.. I don't know..."_

_"Iruka, if you expect alot you will always be disappointed." Mizuki scoffed. "They expected alot out of the young boy, Uchiha Itachi. And look what happened; he slaughtered his entire clan. Disappointment." Mizuki chuckled darkly._

_Iruka shook his head. This wasn't... this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. The Mizuki he knew would never make fun of a massacre like that... Never, no. He wouldn't abandon Konoha. "I won't leave my work. The children."_

_"Iruka's got his work," Mizuki stood up and glared down at Iruka, all pretenses of love gone. "They say Iruka lives for his work, and Iruka loves his work," Mizuki spat at Iruka's feet. "Iruka hides in his work."_

_Iruka's eyes widened. "From what?" He was too stunned to say anything else. _

_"From facing your failure, facing your loneliness and the fact that your life will always be meaningless. You're detached Iruka." Mizuki leaned down once again. He placed his face in the hollow of Iruka's neck and chuckled darkly. Iruka backed right up to the tree. "You preach love to your students and tell them to live the proud and noble life of a ninja; fearless and brave. But what of you?" Mizuki placed a hand on Iruka's chest, flat against his beating heart. "You're too scared to lift a finger to fight me." _

_Iruka groaned. 'Mizuki... Why?' "Do you... How..."_

_Mizuki bunched his hand in the cloth of Iruka's flak vest and pulled, hoisting Iruka up to his feet. He shoved the chuunin against the tree and captured his face in his hands. "Iruka... why do you bring love into every conversation?"_

_"You don't, do you..."_

_"I'm above those emotions, Iruka. I'm above them, and I can see I made a wrong choice. I can see that I'm above you as well." He hefted his large throwing star up, preparing to launch it at Iruka. His expression never changed. "You insist on protecting the little fox?"_

_Without Mizuki's hand to hold him, Iruka fell against the base of the tree. "Yes.." he breathed. "With my life. To me, he's not the demon Kyuubi. He's a ninja, an excellent one- from the village of Konoha. Uzumaki Naruto!"_

_---_

Iruka was a wreck. He couldn't stop thought- not just those about Mizuki- from tumbling into his mind at random times. Appointments that he had made two years ago, old dates with Kakashi, class schedules, and other jumbled nonsense made its way into his head at random times. He feared that he was going insane. Would Kakashi still love him if he was crazy?

His troubling thoughts were greeted by a thumping noise. Kakashi must be home, shaking the rain from outside off of his clothing. Kakashi...

"Iruka, I'm home!" Kakashi's head appeared through the crack in the bedroom door. Rain dripped unceromoniously of of his tufts of hair down onto the floor. Groceries were slung all around him. "I made an appointment for you to see Raven tomorrow for your meds. Were you bored--" Kakashi cut himself off with one look at Iruka's face. The younger man was pale and drawn, sitting on the far edge of Kakashi's overly large bed. His knees were drawn up against his chest, and his hair was hanging in greasy strands around his face. Deep shadows were etched under wide, scared eyes. The groceries fell to the ground.

"Iruka," Kakashi whispered, darting to his lover's side. He scooped Iruka's into his arms. Unable to help himself, the chuunin tried to blink back hot tears. "It's okay, Love, it's okay." Iruka tensed.

"Ka...Kakashi?"

"Iruka?"

"Do you mean it?"

Kakashi blinked, halfway through pulling down his mask. "What?"

"When you call me Love. When you say that you love me."

"Iruka..." Kakashi sighed. He pulled the young man into his arms. "I have _always _loved you. Ever since I saw you, ever since before I saw you I think, I have been madly in love with you. I only wish that I could take all of the poison from your veins and keep it. I don't want to see you in pain, Iruka. I know that I'm a bastard. I don't deserve you. I won't ever deserve you."

"But I need you. I'm a selfish, perverted prick and I will never let you go. I love you too much to let anyone else have you. You mean so much to me... more than anything else. I love you so much it hurts, Iruka." Kakashi leaned down and nuzzled into Iruka's neck. "Do you want more of an explanation, my love?"

Iruka sighed, letting out a contented breath. "No, My Kakashi." Kakashi wasn't like Mizuki. Kakashi wouldn't turn out like Mizuki. He was sure of it. Yes, a better future. "I believe you." Iruka turned to look at his scarecrow. Kakashi was peering down at him, concern easily noticable in his eyes. Iruka leaned up, no hesitation, and planted a loving kiss on the man's lips.

Kakashi, no hesitation, returned the kiss. When a need for air presided, they broke apart. Kakashi cupped Iruka's face in his hands. "I love you," Kakashi whispered. "Don't ever think that I don't."

"Kakashi... don't ever leave me. Please..."

"I won't. Not if I can help it. Don't leave me, okay?"

"Never." Iruka nestled against Kakashi's chest, falling into mercifully dreamless slumber.

----------

**tsukiraven: **That was the best chappie in a while. But, I have some explaining to do.

The reason I haven't update for awhile is because I was flamed. I lost alot of confidence from that one flame, it made me feel horrible. I'm sorry that this happens, but I have one more thing to say:

It says yaoi in the warnings, and summary. Don't like it, don't read it. Capice?

Thanks for your reviews, if I hadn't gotten any, I would have discontinued this story. I don't want to. I love you all for you kind words and encouragement. As always, constructive critism is, of course, always welcome. Peace out.


	9. Tango

**tsukiraven: **Hi hi hi!

**Sasuke: **Myeehh... --drunken giggle--

**Kakashi: **Welcome back everyone. It's been awhile.

**tsukiraven: **Ah! Maa...! I'm gonna be a quick updater next time.

**Naruto: **Ugghhh... Tsuki-san... Sasuke's tryin' to seduce a lamp...

**tsukiraven: **Well, it's good to see him getting along with someone. Err... something.

**Sakura: **--sigh--

**Iruka: **Miss Raven, didn't you have something that you wanted to say?

**tsukiraven: **Wha? Oh! Oh yeah, that's right! (to readers) I'd like to tell you all something. So listen up. Er... read up. I think.

Thank you so much for your support and lovely reviews. I only mentioned the flame as a brief afterthought, and it got so much of a reaction. So many people told that if I gave up on this story, not only would they be very sad, but I would need to fear for my life. --sweatdrop--.

Needless to say, I will not abandon this piece of liturature!

All joking aside, I really like this story. It's nice to have a good bit of fanfiction to call my own, and I wouldn't give that up for the world.

And I had no idea that you guys liked the author's notes so much. Yosh!

And also, thanks to hottie chan11 from gaia online, for letting me know that even though some people don't review they are nice enough to tell me how much they like my story! (I'm under the same name on Gaia)

**Sasuke: **(to lamp) Y'know Sakura-chaaaan, we should go out, get to know each --hic-- other more. We could bring Naru-chaaan and have some real fun. --winks--

**Everyone: **O.O

**Sakura: **I wish he was asking me out when he wasn't so drunk that he wouldn't remember it the next day.

**tsukiraven: **Hey, if I say so, he stays this way forever. I **like **drunk Sasuke.

**Iruka: **Ehhhh...

**Kakashi: **You are the only one.

**tsukiraven: **Really? Awww... awright, back to sober Sasuke.

**Sasuke: ...**

**Everyone: **(thinks: Sasuke **was** better drunk...)

**Iruka: **Miss Raven really wishes she owned us and Rent, but she owns neither. I can't help but feel a little bad for her.

**Kakashi: **Don't. Really.

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 9**_

_Iruka, do you know how to dance?_

_I'm a shinobi. I can do anything!_

Kakashi woke up the next morning with a stiff neck from the way he slept. Sitting up. He was propped against the far wall of his room, his neck turned in an awkward position. Wincing, he forced it out straight and looked down at the familiar weight in his lap.

Iruka lie there, sleeping peacefully. His head lay on Kakashi's chest, tear stains adorning the cheeks. Gently, Kakashi reached down and wiped the smaller man's cheeks. What had upset Iruka so badly last night?

He had gone out shopping, just to get some food. Iruka wasn't able to eat much because of the anti-toxins, but Kakashi wanted to make sure that Iruka was at least getting something in him. On the way back from the grocery store to his house, he had run into Raven. She scolded him for a few moments, caused by his previous 'kidnappings' of Iruka, followed by a sudden change of attitude when she offered a decent checkup time the next day.

It was raining that night. Kakashi distinctly remembered walking home in the midst of a storm. But, his Ruka never minded the rain. They had always considered the rain to be a special source of memories for the both of them.

_Kakashi was cold. Blood stained the ANBU armour on his right arm, drying in a sickening imitation of crimson paint. Three, no four, corpses decorated the ground in front of him. The targets. Three innocents and one enemy nin. Kakashi wasn't just cold, he was freezing. Stumbling, he made his way back to Konoha._

_----_

_The lights inside of the mission room would have been blinding if his ANBU mask were not in place. The porcelain shield blocked the worst of the light, as Kakashi made his weary way up to the desk. When he saw who was seated there, he paused. It wasn't Iruka. _

_"Here," he said quickly, dropping the blood stained and mud spattered mission report onto the desk. A mousy looking female sitting behind the desk glared reproachfully at him, picking up the crumpled sheets of paper. _

_"Everything seems to be in order," she said, signing the papers and setting them aside. "Alright, sir, that will be all." And Kakashi was gone. _

_Something wasn't right, Iruka never skipped work. It just wasn't him. Without thinking, Kakashi rushed out into the frigid night to find his boyfriend._

_He couldn't stop thinking about Iruka. What he had first dismissed as "just love" had now become something so entirely soul consuming that he couldn't think of anything but Iruka. _

_How was Iruka?_

_What was Iruka doing?_

_Was Iruka feeling alright?_

_Would Iruka be okay?_

_Would Iruka love him back?_

_Obsessions went hand in hand with personality dysfunctions and God dammit, Hatake Kakashi had his share of both._

_Stopping short at the door to the chuunin's small apartment, Kakashi briefly considered knocking down the door. Dismissing that idea, he knocked harshly on the wooden frame. _

_There was a groan and a thump from inside. Kakashi heard a string of muted curses before the door was wrenched open. Umino Iruka glared up at him, hair in a fluffy cloud around his head. His eyes were sleepy and shadowed, and he clutched a beige book in his hand._

_"Uhhnn... Kakashi-kun?" Iruka attempted to smile, although the effect was ruined somewhat by a yawn. "I take it you know how late it is, ne?"_

_Kakashi nodded, removing the porcelain cover from his face. Iruka sucked in a breath. _

_Kakashi's eyes were sunken, his face and hair grimy. Blood and mud and other fluids and solids that Iruka couldn't identify were all trapped on the jounin's dark blue Armour. The stench of death clung to Kakashi like a bird of prey. Rain drops slid off of the silver hair and rolled to the ground._

_Without wasting anymore time, Iruka stepped out of the way. "Come in Kakashi-kun, you look dead on your feet." _

_Kakashi stepped inside of the warm apartment. But the cold wouldn't go away._

_"Rough mission?" _

_Kakashi jumped. He hadn't expected Iruka to speak, and almost attacked the man out of shear habit. The thought alone made him sick. Nodding, he drew his slightly twitching hand away from his kunai._

_"You're back on time, though," Iruka walked closer to the man, only to find out he was shaking. "Kakashi are you okay?"_

_"There were four targets," Kakashi said hoarsely. "One ninja, and three 'innocents', the ninja's family. A son, who looked just like his father, a wife, and another son. Iruka-kun," Kakashi visibly shuddered as a small sob tore through him. "He looked so much like you. Big, smiling eyes, brown hair. You could've been related."_

'Was it a Mist ninja? Because my mother is from Mist country," _Didn't seem like the best of things to say at the moment, so Iruka held his silence. Kakashi shook again. Iruka couldn't stand seeing this man, seemingly infallible Sharingan Kakashi, become prey to a deceased apparition that resembled himself. It was so overwhelming. _

_Not knowing anything else to do, Iruka walked forward and embraced the man, throwing his arms around the other in a sweet and comforting gesture. _

_And while Kakashi tried to tell himself that the water dripping down his face was from rain drops, he noticed that the temperature in the room seemed to rise. Just slightly._

Iruka was Kakashi's love, Iruka was Kakashi's life. So why, _why, _couldn't Kakashi ever seem to protect him. Iruka was always the one holding the family together, and that didn't seem fair in Kakashi's book. So maybe he could do something for his love. But what...

---------

Everything was warm and fluffy. What the... Why in all the hells was everything fluffy? Iruka snapped awake, eyes wandering around the room, confused. It took him a moment to realize that he was in Kakashi's room, complete with new bedding!

_'New bedding? When did Kakashi get new bedding?'_

"Good morning Iruka!" Kakashi strolled into the room, a look of purpose and a smile on his un-masked face. He carried with him a tray laden with breakfast foods, the strong smell reminding Iruka painfully that he hadn't eaten in a day and a half.

The bed springs groaned as Kakashi sat down next to Iruka, setting the tray on a nearby nightstand. The jounin pulled Iruka over to him in a strong hug, nestling the dolphin against his chest. Iruka settled there, wondering what on earth had brought this change about in his lover.

"What's all this for Kakashi?"

"'What's all this for? _What's all this for?' _Why, Ruka, can't a man do something extremely nice to and for his lover without being subjected to his lover's suspiciousness?" Kakashi blinked innocently.

Iruka blinked back, confused. "Err... okay, you said lover too many times, and the way you snuck the word 'to' in there makes me nervous. And to answer your question, no. Not unless you have some ulterior motive." _'Like getting laid,' _hung in the air, unsaid.

"Iruka dearest, how could you think that of me?"

Iruka's eyes widened. _'Dearest? What the f--' _"Kai!" Kakashi didn't waver or disappear, so he was real. Was it a mind-body swapping jutsu? Or something else... did someone have control over Kakashi?

"Kakashi! Kakashi! What's wrong with you? Can you hear me?" Iruka rolled himself out of the jounin's grasp and soon had a hand on each shoulder, bracing himself against the older man. "Who sent you? What have you done with my Kakashi?"

Kakashi raised a sliver brow. Was Iruka mocking his attempts to be nice? He gently pulled the man off of him and locked Iruka's eyes with his own. "Iruka-love, it's me."

"I don't believe you."

"Ask me anything."

Iruka was determined. "Alright. Who am I?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Umino Iruka, chuunin, age 28. Academy sensei at Konohagakure."

"You've done your work well, spy. But, that was an easy one. What's the nickname you love to say but I hate?"

"Ruru-sensei." Iruka blanched.

"Okay, what was the first movie we saw together? It's my favorite."

"Rent." Kakashi grinned. Iruka was apparently deep in thought wondering if he was an imposter or the real thing. Kakashi decided to prove it to him. With a quick shove, Kakashi forced Iruka into a flat position on the bed, laying himself above the chuunin.

Iruka squeaked. "Wh-what are you doing?"

Kakashi grinned again. "Well," he ran a hand over Iruka's chest. "You so obviously want me to prove that I am who I say I am, so I'll do it." Without further warning Kakashi buried his face in Iruka's neck, happily licking and nipping his way around.

"H-hey! You stop that! I am interrogating you and-- ah! Ohnnn..." Iruka's protests died on his tongue and turned to moans. Kakashi smirked.

"This is your spot, right here." Kakashi bit down gently on Iruka's collar bone, eliciting a gasp from the man under him. "And you're ticklish right here..." Kakashi drew his hand off of Iruka's chest and settled on his lower stomach, brushing his fingers across the parts of the man's abdomen that he knew were the most ticklish.

"AH! Ka...Kakashi! Stop! Ha! I know it's--aha-- you, so sto-- Ha!--p!" Iruka erupted into giggles and tried to force Kakashi off of him. But to no avail.

"And what have we learned today, my dear Iruka-kun?"

"Ha! Haha! We --gasp-- learned that --Haha!-- Kakashi-sensei is who he says he is! Ha! now, please get off of me!"

Sighing, Kakashi rolled his way off of Iruka, laying down next to the man.

"Why were you being so sweet Kakashi?" Iruka wrapped his arms around the older man, who looked as if he were pouting.

"Sweet?"

"Yes, you were acting the way Sakura-chan used to when she visited Sasuke in the hospital." Kakashi made a face.

"Fine next time I won't act worried about your well-being, I'll just let you starve." Kakashi snuggled closer to Iruka however, making no attempts to break free of the tan-man's hold.

"I'm sorry, okay? I had no idea that you were being nice with no motives." Kakashi smiled.

"Apology accepted." He bounced up, tugging Iruka with him as he presented Iruka with the tray of food. Iruka's mouth dropped at the site of the delicious food before him.

"Chocolate chip pancakes," Kakashi smiled wider. "Your favorite!" Iruka dug into the meal in front of him, pausing only briefly to tank his lover for the morning meal.

When he was finished and Kakashi had moved the tray aside, Iruka lie his head down on Kakashi's lap, smiling as the silver haired man undid his ponytail and threaded his fingers through his hair. "Thanks again Kashi, that was great."

Kakashi nodded reverently. "Sure was."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "But what was that for?"

"Well, I was thinking about what you said last night, and you were right. I don't show how much I love you often enough." Iruka opened his mouth to protest, but stopped at a look from Kakashi. "That's why I want to show you more. I want to be with you always. I love you Iruka," Kakashi's gaze soften and he cupped the chuunin's cheek in a calloused hand. "Before you came into my life, that word didn't even exist in my vocabulary."

Iruka sighed and leaned into the loving touch. "Kakashi..."

Kakashi quieted Iruka again, this time by brushing their lips together momentarily. "We're going away..."

Iruka's heart leapt into his throat. "Wha-what!"

Kakashi looked at him confused. "Not for a long time, just a day or two. An onsen just outside of Konoha, still in Fire country and everything. I've already made reservations, we'll leave tomorrow. Is that alright?" Kakashi asked tentatively.

Iruka smiled. He loved this man, he truly did. "Kakashi..." A thought occured to Iruka. "Hey, what's the new bedding for?"

Kakashi grinned and raised his eyebrows. "Well, I did the windows and everything, but I never got my dessert..." He looked up at Iruka, oozing lust and playfullness. "Pretty Please?"

Iruka sighed. "No. I'm not going to be late for my appointment, so let's go. I have to shower." Ituka walked out of the room, leaving Kakashi alone, laying on the bed.

"Awww..."

---------

"Alrighty," Raven smiled widely, handing a few papaers over to Iruka. "These need your signature." She hovered over Iruka's shoulder. "That's right sign here...and here... initial here and here, very good Iruka-sensei thank you." Raven snatched the papaers out of the stunned Umino's hands.

"And I need you to sign this one Kakashi-san." Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Why...?"

"You're Iruka-sensei's registered family. You have to sign this waver. Here and here, and initail at the bottom. Okay!" Raven tugged the papers out of Kakashi's hands and placed his and Iruka's together in a labeled folder.

"Iruka-sensei, your condition hasn't worsened, but it hasn't improved either. Continued taking your medicine as usual, and if either of you see any changes tell me immediatly. Otherwise," Raven shrugged. "I'll see you next week."

Kakashi nodded. "Can we--"

Raven held up her hand and turned around. "Yes, please feel free to abduct helpless Iruka-sensei now."

"Helpless! Aren't I supposed to stay over night?"

Kakashi grinned wolvishly under his mask, hoisting the protesting chuunin into his arms. "Thanks, Doc."

Raven blanched. "Don't confuse me with that dried up old Doctor Koru. Anyway," she shrugged. "I know nothing, I saw nothing..."

And with that, Kakashi leapt out of the hospital window, Iruka safe and secure in his arms.

-----------oO

**tsukiraven: **How was that? Oh yeah!

**Sasuke: **--groaning-- I can't remember anything...and my head hurts. Why does my head hurt?

**tsukiraven: **You hit your head.

**Sasuke: **My head?

**Naruto: **Yeah! Nice lie Tsuki-san!

**Sasuke: **Lie?

**tsukiraven: **--sweatdrop-- Ehehe...

**Sasuke: **--walks away-- I don't even wanna know...

**tsukiraven: **Whoops... Oh well. (to readers) you see, I'll never abandon this story! The KakaIru story of love must be told! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!

**Everyone: **--looks up in fear--

**tsukiraven: **Anyway, thank you all so much for your reviews, they mean so much to me! Please continue to submit them. They make me write faster!

Also... there may be a lemon in one or two chappies... --twitch-- Be afraid, be very afraid...

Thanks for the sweet words, I'd like to get another posting in before my birthday (March 24th) so hopefully soon! Peace Out!


	10. Life Support

**tsukiraven: **Hullo, hullo. Welcome all to I'll Cover You, chappie 10! give yourselves a pat on the back for making it this far.

**Sakura: **Yay! Finally, a milestone! --pats self on back--

**tsukiraven: **Yes, yes, job well done.

**Iruka: **Y'know...

**Kakashi: **Yes, my wonderful Iruka-koi?

**Iruka: **I still don't think you're my Kakashi. Kakashi's never this nice, not even if I'm in a near death position.

**Kakashi: **(Thinks: There are lots of other positions I like better...) Iruka, how can you say that. You know I love you.

**Iruka: **I'm still suspicious...

**Kakashi: **Well fine, I'll be suspicious too.

**Iruka: **What do you mean?

**tsukiraven: **Oi vey...

**Kakashi: **I don't think you're really my Iruka.

**Iruka: **_What!_

**Kakashi: **Yup. Iruka's more accepting, and sweet. And my Iruka would never pass up an opportunity for sex.

**tsukiraven: **(To Sakura) Yeah... his dream Iruka.

**Iruka: **Yes I would! I pass it up all the time!

**Kakashi: **So you're saying you don't want me anymore? You don't find me physically attractive? --sniff--

**Sakura: **Ohhh... A low blow. Gotta hurt.

**tsukiraven: **--nods and eats popcorn-- What a show, what a show...

**Iruka: **How could you say that, Kakashi? You know I love you! There's never a day I don't think about you!

**Kakashi: **Well... prove you're Iruka. Say something that only you would know.

**Iruka: **Well... --whispers in Kashi's ear--

**Sakura: **oO! What! What are they saying?

**tsukiraven: **Agghh! If this was TV I could turn up the volume!

**Kakashi: **--pulls away, grinning and blushing under his mask-- That's my little closet pervert.

**Iruka: **--winks--

**Naruto: **oO;; There are so many ways that that has scarred me for life... I'll just pretend that they were exchanging recipies... recipes... --fetal position--

**Gai: **Do not fear, young Uzumaki! Iruka Umino and my Number One Eternal Rival For All Eternity have finally found love in the springtime of their youths! --cries manly tears--

**Naruto: **Noooooo! I don't wanna think about them...them...

**Sasuke: **(helpfully) Getting into each other's pants?

**Naruto: **NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOO!

**tsukiraven: **Hehe... I love scarring people. n.n So, here's the deal:

I changed the time dealy. I know in the books it only takes three days to get to Suna, but here it takes a normal, chuunin level nin a month to make the journey. Capice? Capice.

I don't own Naruto. I'm sorry it had to come to that... As always, enjoi.

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 10**_

_Sometimes, there can be too much of a good thing, my darling Iruka._

_Whenever Mizuki speaks like that... I feel as though he's insincere..._

It was hot. And it was dry. There wasn't even an ounce of humidity! Just dry heat. And sand... Oh God, the sand...

How could anyone stand this? Naruto wondered miserably as he trudged through the seemingly endless desert. How?

_'Suna was only supposed to be a month away! Damn! I told old lady Tsunade that we could be there and back in a moth, but the way this is going, it'll take two! It's already been so long, I've lost track of the days."_

Naruto groaned, looking back to where Sasuke was. Stupid bastard didn't even seem to sweat. And Sakura-chan was even farther behind, face red and eyes tired.

Naruto gazed more intently at Sakura. She was so beautiful, the way the sun reflected off of her shining hair was captivating.

_Sakura fingered a short fringe of her bangs. _

_"Oh! now Sasuke-kun won't notice me!" She sighed, pouting slightly. "He only likes girls with long hair."_

_"I like you Sakura-chan! Forget about Sasuke-teme!" His complements were thrown back at him along with a punch to the nose. _

_"Don't insult Sasuke-kun!" Viridian eyes snapped with anger._

_Naruto backed away nervously. "Ano saa, ano saa. I'm just saying that I think your hair is beautiful Sakura-chan!" Naruto stuck his lip out, all tough guy. "And is Sasuke-te--... er, if Sasuke can't see that then it's his problem."_

_Sakura blinked, letting a shy hand stray to her hair again. "You really think so?"_

_"Yeah! I do! y'know, maybe after the chuunin exams are over, we could go out on a da--"_

_"Finish that word and you're dead Naruto."_

Sasuke-kun this, and Sasuke-kun that. Grr... It was always Sasuke! Naruto be more like Sasuke. Naruto, you should train like Sasuke. Naruto, _respect _Sasuke. Naruto, treat Sasuke like the superior he is. Naruto, shove an icicle up your ass like Sasuke does. That way, you can imitate him perfectly!

_'Hehe... Icicle ass...'_

What did Sasuke have that he didn't? He had looks too, right? He was just as strong, just as determined, definitely more nice, and what did Naruto get? A group of girls who hated him and a village that would just as soon see him dead.

_'Nice Uzumaki. Nice.'_

Naruto got saddled with Kyuubi. Sasuke got his Sharingan eyes.

Naruto got whisker shaped scars, Sasuke got his flawless good looks.

Naruto got hate mail, beatings, muggings, attempted murders, and shifty glances.

Sasuke got love letters, hugs, attention, fangirls, and dates.

It wasn't fair!

Naruto was going to be Hokage, the greatest ever!

Sasuke was gonna end up as some cashier working for five bucks an hour scraping gum off of the undersides of tables at McRamen's. Yes... that's more like it.

"Dobe, watch where you're going."

Naruto's head snapped to Sasuke at the Uchiha heir's words. "What did you say teme!" Naruto turned around and walked backwards so he could meet Sasuke's gaze. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cool obsidian eyes met cerulean eyes. "Exactly as it sounded... dunce."

A vein popped in Naruto's head. "What!"

"Dunce," Sasuke smirked. "Watch where you're going, Naruto..."

"Sasuke... TEME!"

"Dobe."

"Bastard!"

"Dumbass."

"... Teme!"

"Naruto! Look out!" Sakura's shout brought Naruto to attention, and as he swung around, he noticed a cliff behind him.

He noticed said cliff just as he happened over the edge.

---

"Naruto, be more careful next time." Sakura bandaged a scratch on Naruto's arm.

"Ow! Sakura-chan, can't you just heal this?"

"I'm saving chakra, stop being such a baby. It's only a scratch." Sakura sighed, giving the band-aid one last squeeze. "If Sasuke-kun wasn't there to save you, you'd be dead right now. Be grateful!"

Naruto growled. Always Sasuke!

---

Sasuke stood outside, letting the cool breeze of the desert night wash over his features. If he focused his chakra directly, he could sense anything. He could sense everything.

The details of the grains of sand beneath his feet.

The texture of the hard rock meters under the sand.

The cracked walls of the cliff Naruto had stumbled over.

The hidden oasis five miles to the north-east of their camp.

The scolding look in Sakura's eyes... her kindness and warmth... her smile...

_"Sasuke, I love you!" Sakura pleaded, eyes wide and desperate with tears. "Please, I'll do anything! I'll help you in your revenge, just please don't leave!"_

_Sasuke shifted. Why was she making such a big deal out of this? She was just like all of the other fangirls... wasn't she? His mouth answered for him. "No, this is something I have to do."_

_"But you're going to Orochimaru for help!" She sobbed hysterically. "That's not on your own, he wants to kill you! You won't make it out alive Sasuke!"_

_"I'll be fine. I'll kill Itachi."_

_Sakura wiped her eyes, attempting to stop the flow of tears. "Don't do this Sasuke. Don't leave me..."_

_Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Typical girl. "How can I leave you if we've never been together?" Sakura flinched as if she'd been burned. _

_'Stay away from me, Sakura... If I let you help, you'll only end up hurt and probably killed.'_

_"I'll scream," Sakura declared, shaking all over. "I'll scream for help. You'll never get away. Don't make me, Sasuke! Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke was gone from her vision. Moments after his disappearance, Sakura felt hot breath on the back of her neck. _

_"Sakura... Thank you." Sasuke brought his hand up and pinched a nerve in the back of her neck, sending her instantly into unconsciousness. Sakura's eyes widened as she crumpled to the ground, falling into the security of Sasuke's arms._

_Lifting her effortlessly, Sasuke placed her on a nearby bench. She had said something about this being a special place for them... Nothing came to mind._

_Looking one last time at her sleeping form, Sasuke resigned himself to the swirling darkness._

What was it about her? Sakura...

"Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke jumped. Sakura was standing beside him, moonlight reflecting off of her face and hair. She was indeed very beautiful. How could he have not noticed her next to him? How long had she been there exactly...?

"What?" Sakura flinched, and Sasuke mentally berated himself for biting at her.

"I was wondering if you were okay. You've just been out here for so long I was getting worried..." She let her voice trail off.

Obsidian eyes trained themselves on the kunoichi's form. "It's nothing." _'Why can't I tell you to go away?'_

Sakura peered curiously at him. "Sasuke-kun, what are you staring at?"

Sasuke jumped, grateful that the dark night was hiding his slight blush. "Your hair." _'Smart one, Uchiha.'_

Blink. "My... hair?"

_'Cover it up!' _"Yeah. Your hair in the moonlight. It looks," Sasuke struggled for a word. "Nice."

Sakura smiled slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah. Pretty. I like it short." Sasuke took a deep breath. Talking to girls was troublesome. Shikamaru knew more than they gave him credit for.

Sakura's smile grew until she glowed. She glommed onto his arms happily. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun!"

"Gah! Sakura, get off!"

"Hey guys! Sakura-chan, what's taking you so long to get Sasuke-bas--" Naruto walked onto the sand covered hill just in time to see Sasuke fall over with Sakura against him. His cheeks flushed angrily. "Am I interrupting?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto. _'What right does he have to walk up here and start acting all possessive. Like he owns her or something.' _"No, dobe," Sasuke said smoothly, setting Sakura upright.

Sakura blushed and scratched her cheek. "Ehehe... Sorry Sasuke-kun."

"It's okay."

Naruto glared at Sasuke, who glared right back. This went on for quite some time (actually, it was only a few minutes) before Sakura sighed, quite loudly, snapping both boys out of their reveries.

_'Boys can be so stupid!' _Inner Sakura raged.

Outer Sakura had the decency to look slighly offended.

Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry Sakura-chan. I got carried away. I won't kick Sasuke's ass in front of you, I have mercy."

Sasuke glared. "Like you could dobe. A D-minus ass like yourself could never get the better of me."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!"

"Can you both be quiet!" Sakura shouted. Both men stared at her. "You're always argueing!" Sakura flopped back onto the cold night sands. "Just relax and watch the stars."

Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other before looking at Sakura. At once, both deflated, anger leaving them. They settled onto the ground on either side of their female teammate.

Moments, long sweetly silenced moments passed by, the three teammates laying quiet in each other's company. None thinking of any conflicts, just of the heavens' beauty layed out before them like a picture.

A beat. "Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah Naruto?"

"Do you think Iruka-sensei is doing okay?"

Sakura flipped onto her side, gazing at Naruto with veridian eyes. She smiled. "I'm sure he's fine, Naruto. Kakashi-sensei's probably taking good care of him."

Naruto smiled back. "Yeah, Kaka-sensei better do a good job! He'll get it if he doesn't."

"I'm sure they're all right, Naruto."

Sakura looked over at Sasuke in suprise. "The Uchiha heir continued to look up at the sky as though he hadn't said anything. The slight smile on his lips was the only thing that gave any hints.

Slowly, Sakura dared to link an arm through Sasuke's. He looked at her in suprise, shook edging into acceptance and tolartion. Maybe even affection.

Turning slightly, Sakura repeated the same process with Naruto. He was more eager, scooching over to Sakura in the meantime. Sakura lay happily between her two teammates, he best friends in the whole world, and wished for a happier tomorrow.

"They're doing great Naruto, I can see it." Sakura stated happily.

"Yup," Naruto smiled at her. "Iruka-sensei's yelling at kakashi for trying to sleep in."

Sasuke smirked. "Kakashi-sensei trying to convince Iruka-sensei to buy him dinner."

Sakura giggled. "Kakashi-sensei trying to seduce Iruka-sensei."

Naruto howled with laughter. "Yeah, but he does that all the time!"

---

"ACHOO!"

Iruka wrapped his arms tighter about the boxer-clad man tucked in next to him. "Are you okay, Kashi?"

Kakashi nodded, moving willingly into Iruka's warm embrace. "Yeah I'm fine. Just a sneeze."

Iruka grinned cheekily, freshly washed hair pressed to his face. "Someone's talking about you."

Kakashi grinned back, giving Iruka's rear a slight squeeze. "Who would do that now, Ruka-love? Get some sleep, we're leaving for the onsen first thing tomorrow morning."

--------

**tsukiraven: **Ta da! A super fast update directly from Ra--

**Naruto: **Tsuki-san!

**Kakashi: **The crazy authoress.

**Sasuke: **The lying, hangover causing witch.

**Sakura: **The rabid fangirl.

**Iruka: **The almost birthday girl.

**Gaara: **...

**Gai: **The girl in the springtime of her youth! --sparkle--

**Jiraiya: **Someone who looks up to me! (And who could blame her?)

**Tsunade: **The medical jounin.

**tsukiraven: **...I was gonna say Raven. But okay! Yes, it is a super fast update from whatever nickname you may have for me! And the next chapter will be the attempted lemon! Yay for effort! Thanks for the loverly reviews, just like food for a starving authoress soul. Keep 'em comin'! See you next time, and peace out!


	11. Out Tonight

**tsukiraven: **Hey hey hey! How's everyone doing?

**Sasuke: **Fine. But we know--

**Naruto: **That you're just--

**Sakura: **Stalling, so you don't--

**Iruka: **Have to write a lemon, which by the--

**Gaara: ...**

**Tsunade: **Way, would be your first, so you have every reason--

**Jiraiya: **To be nervous. I was.

**tsukiraven: **Really?

**Jiraiya: **Mmmm... Not really, no.

**tsukiraven: **Okay, this is it... the moment of truth... Ready, steady... --deep breath-- ACK! I can't do this, what the hell was I thinking? --tries to run away and is caught by Kakashi--

**Kakashi: **No no. You promised your readers, and now you must deliver.

**tsukiraven: **--twitch--

**Iruka: **Yes, do get started.

**Jiraiya: **Hey guys, guess what? She doesn't own it. Or Rent. She's in denial, and thinks someday she will but she won't. Thank God.

**Everyone: **--nods--

**_Warning: Lemony content, do not read if it offends! Lemon only available at Media miner. Link is as follows: _**http / www. mediaminer. org/fanfic/ viewch. php?cid 410772 &submit View+ Chapter &id 114844 **_(remove spaces, copy and paste into browser)._**

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 11**_

_Iruka, why do you love a crazy old pervert like me, eh?_

_Well, I guess I don't notice any of your bad points, Kakashi. Just how much I love you._

Iruka was cute. Scratch that, Iruka was adorable! Laying there, hair sticking up in weird angles because he slept on it wrong, his hand curled into a half fist near his chin, and his mouth slightly open. A drop of drool was the only thing needed to complete the picture.

Kakashi leaned back on his elbows, grinning madly. His little Ruka-kun was so cute!

"Uhnn... Ka...kashi," Iruka breathed in his sleep. Kakashi leaned closer instinctively. "So... good..."

Kakashi's eyes widened. He grinned wolfishly and wrapped his arms around the younger's body, craddeling Iruka closer to him. "What's good Iruka?" He whispered sweetly.

"Mmm... Kashi... so warm... good... more," Iruka lolled against Kakashi's chest, breathing hard and feathery.

Kakashi buried his face in Iruka's hair, breathing in the clean scent. "Iruka-love," He whispered, planting a kiss in Iruka's hair.

"Kakashi... It's really hard to sleep with you hanging all over me..." Iruka breathed, rolling over.

Kakashi smiled, pulling Iruka closer. Then he paused. "Wait... what?"

Iruka blearily opened one eye. "Your heavy breathing makes you sound like a stalker. Or a sexual predator."

Kakashi chuckled, biting the nape of Iruka's neck. "Well, sexual predator has the word sexual in it..."

_Thwap!_

"Kakashi! Get serious!" Iruka said this all grinning. He rolled out from his lover's embrace laughing. "You were leaning all over me, I thought you would start drooling!"

Kakashi's face dropped. "So it was all an act?"

"Mmm... yeah." Iruka laughed again and walked out of Kakashi's bedroom to the bathroom down the hall. "Get dressed you pervert!" He yelled back.

Kakashi laughed. Iruka had the imagination to think up such a _vivid _dream... and he called Kakashi a pervert!

Sighing, Kakashi lifted himself off of the warm bed. It was a little too early for his tastes, but Iruka wanted to leave early. So they were leaving early.

Kakashi walked the small distance over to the dresser and pulled out his uniform, complete with the mask and hitai-ate.

Iruka would, of course, be borrowing his clothing once again.

Fifteen minutes or so later, Iruka walked back into the room, sopping wet with a towel around his waist.

"Did you have enough hot water this time?"

"Sure did." Iruka smiled pleasantly, walking over to where Kakashi was sitting on the edge of the bed. "You're wearing you uniform?"

"Sure am!" Kakashi pulled his gloriously unmasked features into a smile, tugging Iruka down onto his lap. "You're wearing this?" He gestured at the downwardly sloping towel, just barely clinging to Iruka's thin hips.

Iruka gazed over his shoulder at Kakashi. "Only if you want," he leaned back and planted a chaste kiss on the jounin's mouth.

"Mmm... Iruka, if they all saw how beautiful you were, I might have competition," Kakashi mumbled into the kiss, nipping on Iruka's bottom lip. "I'd get jealous."

Iruka turned around, leaning into the kiss. Sweet and chaste became deep and passionate as Kakashi slid his tongue along the younger man's lips, begging for entrance. Iruka allowed, and soon they were holding each other and kissing as if the second they separated they would both die.

"Uhn..." Iruka moaned gratefully as Kakashi slid his hands down to the top of the towel, streaking the cotton in a delightful manner.

With a gasp, Kakashi pulled away. He had forgotten how good kissing Iruka felt. He slid his hands lower, still over the towel, to grasp Iruka's backside. Iruka jumped at the contact, but glanced at Kakashi lovingly, planting a trail of kisses down the jounin's throat. Kakashi moaned, clutching Iruka closer to his body in a desperate attempt to keep the chuunin close.

Iruka reached a hand up to stroke through soft silver hair. "Kashi..."

Kakashi dipped his head lower to kiss Iruka's jaw. "Hm?"

Sighing with regret, Iruka gently guided Kakashi's eyes to his own. "You should shower. We have to get going if we want to keep the reservations you made."

"Maa... A shower sounds much more fun if _you're _involved, my Iruka-sensei..."

_Thwak!_

"Ow!" Kakashi looked at Iruka mournfully. "That one hurt."

Iruka lightly smacked Kakashi's rear. "You're made up of tougher stuff than that Kashi. Now go shower."

"Any chance I could get you to join me?"

"Now now, Kashi. If I join you, we'll really be late, won't we?"

--------

"I can't believe we're late!" Iruka complained, jogging in front of Kakashi along the road. "After all the effort I made to hurry you!"

Kakashi's one visible eye gazed longingly at a rather enticing part of the chuunin's anatomy as he jogged behind Iruka. "Mm hmm..."

"I mean, it's like you're trying to be late! You had to distract me, constantly too! You kept inviting me into the shower, I couldn't say no when you asked me with those kicked puppy dog eyes of yours! ARRGGH!" Iruka flicked his head back towards Kakashi. "You _do_ do it on purpose, don't you?"

"Huh wha--? Oh, yeah sure. Whatever you say." Iruka humphed and continued towards his destination, picking up the pace a little. Kakashi grimaced. "Y'know I only made the reservations this early cause you asked me to..."

"Yes, because I thought you'd be able to get there early and we could spend a nice leisurely day together!"

Kakashi looked rather taken aback. _'Huh. Never thought of that.' _"Oh..." Kakashi picked up his speed alot, tempted by thoughts of a day spent with a nude Iruka, only to slam into the object of said fantasies. Aforementioned collision sent both shinobi spiraling into a nearby bush.

"Yaa! Kakashi! What the hell?"

"Ano-saa, Iruka, I was merely attempting to hurry so that we could spend more time together at the onsen." Kakashi said this all very smoothly, a perfect example of what Iruka called a 'semi-lie' (Kakashi preferred to call them semi-truths) made up on the spot. Iruka blinked.

"Really?"

"Of course." Kakashi, from his position atop the young dolphin, yanked down his mask and nuzzled into the younger's neck. "Mmm... soft."

Iruka sighed, bringing his arms up around Kakashi's waist to encourage the man. Only when Kakashi started to remove his vest did Iruka fully realize what was happening.

"Gah! No! Nonononono! NO! Get off-- Ahhmmm... Get off Kakashi!" Iruka shoved the now lick-happy man off of him. "We're later now because of you!"

"Mmm. A late Kakashi is a happy Kakashi." Kakashi said sullenly, gazing at Iruka from underneath his lashes. "Unless you really want to get there instead of--"

"Yes! You understand now!" Iruka grinned widely and yanked Kakashi up by the hand, tugging the black mask back into place. "Let's go then!"

----another time break-----

"Ahh... This is the life..." Iruka stretched out as far as his body would let him, sighing in contented happiness. His hair was down, silky wet strands just barely managing to stay behind his ear. A leanly muscled torso sunk into the steaming water at a graceful angle, only to slope back upwards somewhere around the knee, snowing tanned legs and feet. Sweat unceremoniously dripped off of a scarred nose, chocolate eyes looking like for all of the world they were in heaven. His mouth curved upwards into a lazy smile, arms folded behind his head and feet propped up on two separate rocks, a shoulder's width apart. To Kakashi, this image was a godsend. It was also an image strong enough to send straight men into hyper nosebleed mode, and fangirls running for the cameras. But, Kakashi was jealous and didn't like to share. So, this enticing picture belonged only to him.

"Iruka..." Kakashi let his voice trail off sensually, draping himself behind the chuunin. "You're so beautiful right now..."

Iruka leaned back into the contact, looking up at his lover. Kakashi was mask less, his silver bush of hair drooping from the humidity, drops of moisture rolling off of the tips. His mismatched eyes looked down at Iruka with the most love and calm that a well trained shinobi's eyes could show. Iruka reached a hand back and brushed over Kakashi's cheek. "You're the one who's beautiful..." Iruka's hand drifted over to touch Kakashi's lips.

Kakashi nipped at Iruka's fingers jokingly. The chuunin smiled and with a strength unfitting for his rank, he tugged Kakashi down with him. The jounin happily complied, sliding into the water with the grace of a semi. That is to say, not much at all. Kakashi grinned, running a skilled tongue up and down the length of the digits. Iruka blushed. "Ahh..."

Kakashi smiled impishly and released the wettened fingers, scooting himself onto Iruka's nude lap, completely naked himself. He wiggled a little, settling himself into a position that he knew the dolphin would like. "Kashi..."

Kakashi waggled his finger in front of Iruka's nose, tapping the tip every now and again. "Now, Ruka, if you keep moaning my name on and on like that, I might lose control and..."

"And?"

Kakashi leaned in, brushing his lips against Iruka's earlobe. "Screw you so hard you won't remember your own name."

Iruka grinned devilishly. "Is that a threat... Or a promise?"

_**----Lemon goes here! Full content at above link!----**_

"Kakashi, I love you," Iruka placed his mouth over Kakashi's in a breath taking kiss.

Kakashi smiled into the kiss, pulling away only as the need for air surfaced. He ran a pale hand over darker skin. "I love you too." Wincing (and trying to hide it) Kakashi stood up, pulling Iruka with him. "Now let's go get some shut eye... you won't believe how much that took out of me."

Iruka grinned cheekily, swatting Kakashi on the Copy nin's rear. "Am I supposed to take that as a meaning that I was good?"

Kakashi pecked Iruka on the cheek, steering both of them towards the locker rooms. "Trust me Ruru, you were very, _very _good. C'mon, let's go get some rest. We have to go back early tomorrow!"

---------

**tsukiraven: **ARRGHHHHH! (howl of despair)

**Sasuke: **What in hell is wrong with her?

**tsukiraven: **--babbling-- I made my noble readers wait so long and then I give them _this _piece of _shit! _I should committ ritual seppoku for all of my wrong doings!

**Jiraiya: **It wasn't all that bad you know. I've read worse.

**tsukiraven: **Wagh! (to readers) I'm sorry, sorry, sorry! Can any of you ever forgive me? Please! Waaghh! I copped out really bad too. This is the first lemon I've ever writen, and it's also my first yaoi story (didn't want to admit it). Come to think of it, this is my first Naruto story!

Why? Why me!

**Gaara: ...**

**Naruto: **Hey, where's Ero-sensei and Iruka?

**Sasuke: **They left. The last chapter gave them... ideas. They'll be back in time for the next one. Assuming there is one with this screaming headbasket case as an authouress. (Note: tsukiraven is now banging her head on her keyboard) Naruto... wren't you supposed to say something?

**Naruto: **Huh? Oh right!

**This is important everyone, so listen up: Ahem, I believe I have your attention now, so here it is: Tsuki-san is going to post this sans lemon on If anyone at all thinks what's still here shouldn't be here, please tell her right away be means of a review or a PM. She'll take actions accordingly.**

**Sasuke: **That was scripted, wasn't it Naruto?

**Naruto: **Ehehe.. But seriously guys, please review. Tsuki-san needs the love! And that's all from the future Rokudaime of Konohagakure!

**Sakura: **I was really surprised. I mean... Iruka doesn't seem the seme type.

**Tsunade: **--nods-- I know! But still... reviews keep her happy! Until next time then!


	12. Will I

**Naruto: **And we're back! It's time for another chappie of I'll Cover You! Oh yeah!

**Sakura: **Hey Naruto...?

**Naruto: **Yes, Sakura-chan?

**Sakura: **I couldn't help but notice that something's missing... I can't quite put my finger on it though. What do you think?

**Sasuke: **It's almost as if it's quieter...

**Kakashi: **Yes, a lot quieter. But there's less distraction than normal...

**Iruka: **--nods-- That and there's no food. There's always food when Miss Raven's here--

**All: **...!

**Naruto: **Tsuki-san's gone!

**Sakura: **Gone? But Raven-san can't be gone! We were all going to rent a movie later... It was either gonna be RENT or Loveless! They're both her favourites!

**Sasuke: **Never the less, it's not like her to just up and disappear before a chapter's opening.

**Kakashi: **Maybe she's close by...

**Iruka: **I really hope she's alright! She can't survive on the streets alone- she's not smart enough to be afraid of cars!

**Naruto: **(whispered) Hey, Sasuke...

**Sasuke: **Dobe?

**Naruto: **I'm gonna take a shot at writing this chapter on my own. If Tsuki-san does it, it can't be that hard, ne?

**Sasuke: **Naruto, I really don't think that's such a good idea--

**Naruto: **Roll disclaimer!

Guess what? I don't own Naruto! You'd think I would cause it's me, But I don't! ...Weird...

_**I'll Cover You, chappie 12.**_

_**As told by Uzumaki Naruto.**_

_Iruka-sensei! You're so nice to buy me all of this ramen!_

_Well, of course Naruto! Do you honestly think that I would just let you starve?_

Naruto, the future Rokudaime of Konohagakure, the noble village hidden in the leaves, ran ahead of his two slowed comrades, letting the sun wash over his face as he sprinted. Actually, he didn't sprint. It was more of a leisurely jogging pace. But that was enough- not all that much was needed to overtake that bastard... that horrible person... that cold-hearted king of good looks and over usage of hair products. The ice-king himself, Uchiha Sasuke.

Of course, Sasuke was panting at the amount of energy that his finely manicured, plucked and painted body had to exert to keep up with the lord of all ramen. Sakura ran a little ahead of Uchiha, displaying the perfect way that chakra balance should be administered by running.

Ah, she was beautiful, this girl. Her short, soft hair blew in the slight breeze. Viridian eyes glinted and sparkled with caution and awareness. Her body, perfectly positioned to run another hundred miles or kill any enemy ninja at any given moment, was running almost alongside him, poise dictating her movements. Almost alongside him- for truly, there was never any ninja as great, powerful, and all knowing as Uzumaki Naruto. Yes, you'd better believe that one.

Uchiha attempted to pull back his flailing self-confidence from the brink of the cliff on which it stood ready- at the slightest implication- to throw itself over the edge, into the snake's open jaws once again. He shouted out for Naruto, Lord of all ninjas and ramen alike, to please, please slow down so that he may rest. The long travels to Sunagakure had tired him greatly.

Naruto paused, raising his eyes to the sky to determine the sun's path across the heavens, and thus, know the time. "Yes, I suppose..." he stated magnificently, in a voice to suit the gods themselves. "We may rest for a small while."

The Uchiha urchin, over swept with gratitude, threw himself to the craggy ground at Naruto's feet, begging his pardon and offering his thanks. The Naruto-god brushed him aside; he had no need of any more fangirls, or fanboys.

However, he tugged the lovely Sakura-chan by her delicate hand to a secret, hidden oasis of which the Uchiha knew not. He had other plans for this splendid maiden that day--

**Sasuke: **Naruto, that sucks. Seriously. I hate that almost as bad as Orochimaru. It sucks that bad.

**Naruto: **Well, it easy to write! --polishes nails-- I think I picked up a little inspiration from Ero-sennin after all.

**Sakura: **Naruto, none of that would ever happen! Sasuke-kun's a much faster runner than you! And he would never grovel at your feet like that!

**Sasuke: **Hn. Let me show you how it's done. Dobe.

I don't own Naruto. Tch. Like I'd want to own him.

_**I'll Cover You; Chapter 12.**_

_**As recorded by Uchiha Sasuke**_

_I'll help you beat Itachi... I'll teach you the chidori. _

_The chidori... I can really learn it?_

It was dark. The young avenger sat apprehensively on the very edge of a high cliff, wondering what was to become of his life. His future.

_Che... I sound like a Hyuuga. Dwelling on about futures like the answers are written in the stars..._

Sasuke leaned forward on his haunches, despite the frigid wind whipping his face. His hair flew back, disrupting it's completely natural, non-chemical induced structure.

There was a light somewhere, he had to find it. He knew that it must exist. Darkness could not sunder all. Itachi would not win.

A loud, annoying voice interrupted his pensiveness. Two people entered his range of vision. One loud, obnoxious boy, clad all in orange, and one girl. The girl walked softly, the fresh moonlight shining off of her lithe form. And, the young Uchiha avenger wondered why he felt this way around the girl. Why she made him feel so... so helpless.

The orange dobe cantered about, saying one stupid sentiment after another, while Sasuke made his way to the girl. His only mission in life (besides killing Itachi, of course) was to revive the Uchiha clan. And now... to think that after all of this time he had finally found a way to--

**Naruto: **Gods, Sasuke! you thought _mine _sucked?

**Sasuke: **--blushes-- I'm not much of a writer...

**Sakura: **I thought it was good, Sasuke-kun!

**Sasuke: **...

**Kakashi: **Hey, maybe I should write something... ne, Iruka?

**Iruka: **Hell no! You'd write smut! Probably little exerts from Icha Icha!

**Naruto:** When I write the rest of mine, I can save Iruka-sensei and Kaka-no-baka-sensei from dangling 50 feet over a vat of boiling ramen.

**Everyone: **--sweatdrop--

**tsukiraven: **--loud yawn-- What's up guys? Why's everyone gathered around the computer?

**Naruto: **Tsuki-san died so now we're taking over her fanfictions!

**Sasuke: **(whispered to Sakura) Does he realize that that is Raven?

**Sasuke, Iruka, Kakashi: **Nope.

**tsukiraven: **Naruto... I'm sick and tired. I'm not dead- I was sleeping. Now give me back my computer so that I can fix whatever you guys wrote.

**Naruto: **Noo! --to Jiraiya-- Ero-sensei! Tsuki-san wants to destroy my budding talents!

**Jiraiya: **Well, we can't have that. Come with me, Naruto-no-gaki, and I'll show you (for the day) What it means to be a true writer! --sparkles--

**tsukiraven: **I shoulda stayed in bed...

I don't own Naruto. Add it to the list so that I can pick it up when I go out shopping, will ya, Kakashi?

**Kakashi: **I think you mean RENT and Loveless. You can't pick up a copy of Naruto, Raven.

**_I'll Cover You; The real Chappie 12_**

_Sakura-chan! Let's go on a date!_

_I guess... maybe I am starting to care for her..._

Sakura sat at Team seven's impromptu camp, humming the lyrics to a song from some movie or another. She never thought she would've admitted it, but it was _boring _without Naruto around. And Sasuke was acting strange... she wondered why.

_"Just you hair... It looks beautiful in the moonlight."_

He had said that, he had _really _said that! Sasuke Uchiha had called Sakura beautiful!

_'Well...' _Inner Sakura supplied, '_more or less.'_

Sakura sighed, throwing her head back so that the small wisps of wind caught her hair.

_'No!' _she thought suddenly. _'I'm on a mission to save Iruka-sensei's life! I'm not going to ruin it by being some love-sick little kuniochi!'_

Inner Sakura didn't exactly agree. _'What's wrong with a little crush, every now and then? A little flirting, hugging, a sneak peek here or there while they're bathing...'_

_'ARGH! Nononono NO! I can't think like that!' _Sakura smacked herself briefly and shook her head. Now wasn't the time. Not at all.

Groaning, she flopped backward, letting her body drop against the sand. She stayed there until sleep took her.

--------

"Sakura..."

_'No, no go away Mom...'_

"Sakura."

_'...That's not Mom...'_

Sakura was lifted off of her back. Instantly, her eyes snapped open and she reached for the kunai holster taped to her thigh. She paused when she saw who it was that had moved her. It was no attacker.

"Sa... Sasuke-kun?"

The Avenger nodded, brushing strands of raven hair out of his face. "Are you okay? You were unconscious. Naruto and I just got back from scouting."

Sakura nodded, her brain still reeling. She waited for the Uchiha to release her. He did not.

"You're sunburned," Sasuke dryly observed. At that, Sakura gently touched the skin of her own exposed shoulder, wincing at the contact. The skin was raw, red, and angry looking.

"Ouch... That's what I get huh?" Sakura smiled at Sasuke. He was not so forthcoming.

_'Crashing and burning, we're crashing and burning here!' _Inner Sakura shouted.

Sakura gave one more weak smile to Sasuke, then wiggled away from him. "I'm gonna put a few salves on these burns..." A little embarrassed, Sakura made to exit the area.

"Wait."

Sasuke's hand closed around her wrist. Sakura blushed and turned back. A strange sensation spread throught her body. It was a weird, tingly feeling. She shuddered. "Sasuke-kun?"

Slowly, almost shyly, Sasuke pulled a wrapped package out of his pocket. "I already brought salves... I came out to give them to you. Naruto's getting water." Sasuke lowered his head slightly. "He thought you might be dehydrated."

Sakura nodded. "You... You don't mind?"

Sasuke flushed, hiding it by bending over Sakura's arms to examine the intensity of the damage. "No. Turn your arm..."

They worked in silence for moments, Sasuke placing the medical poltices on the areas where the burns were worst. Sakura meekly attempted to help, but stopped when Sasuke glowered at her for knocking his hand accidentally.

When they were done Sakura pulled away, bowing in thanks. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." She made to leave. "I guess I'll go help Naruto with tha water now."

Once more, Sasuke's hand gripped her thin wrist. He pulled, and Sakura lost her balance, landing with a soft thump against his chest. She turned around to face him, viridian eyes locked on onyx.

"Sa--"

Lips met in a frantic motion, as Sasuke pressed his mouth to Sakura's. He never was that good with words- actions were more his thing. He released her wrist and brought his hands around her, one on her waist and the other cradling her head. After a moment, he slowed down and kissed her properly.

--

_'Wha... What's Sasuke doing! Why- What...'_

Inner Sakura had long since fainted dead away.

All that Sakura had hoped for had came true. She was a shinobi to be proud of. Sasuke was back. Sasuke was kissing her! But why then...

Why didn't it feel right?

A shuffling noise to the right caught her attention and she involuntarily turned, hand once again flying to the kunai holster. She saw nothing but an over turned bucket of water.

Sakura paled. _'Naruto...'_

--------

**tsukiraven: **Sorry for such a short chappie! Sasuke's and Naruto's little inserts made up for it, I hope.

We're coming to the completion of this little bit of SasuSakuNaru angst I've got going here. It'll end (meaning that Sakura will choose) right before they get to Suna. That means next chappie, folks!

**Kakashi: **My team's growing up so well!

**Sasuke: **...

**Naruto: **Haha! Who said we're your team, Kaka-sensei! I'm grown up enough to be all on my own now! I just hope that Sakura-chan finds it in her heart to realize that she should be with me, not Sasuke-teme!

**Sasuke: **... (temper rising)

**Iruka: **My students seem to have so many problems...

**tsukiraven: **Hope you guys liked this one, sorry it's been taking me so long to update! I'll try to do better, I promise! Also please note that there will be more KakaIru coming up soon! And making an appearance will be Mizu--

--Kakashi hits tsukiraven on the head--

**Iruka: **Kakashi! What did you do that for?

**Kakashi: **--scratches head-- No reason really, Iru-koi!

**tsukiraven: **Ehehe... I see birds...

**Sakura: **Oh yes! For all who've been wondering, Miss Raven has posted a link to the lemon of this story in her profile, so now you may all read it!

Until next time, Bai bai!


	13. Nightmare

**tsukiraven: **This is my pitiful attempt to update on time! Yay!

**Kakashi: **What is this world coming to...?

**Iruka: **Are Kakashi and I going to be in this chapter, Miss Raven?

**tsukiraven: **--listening to Loveless-- Huh? Oh sure Iruka! I'll make sure to pick up your dry-cleaning.

**Sakura: **He didn't mention dry-cleaning Raven-san...

**tsukiraven: **Sure Sasuke, I'll get Naruto to fix that lamp soon!

**Sakura: **I'm not Sasuke!

**Sasuke: **--grabs tsukiraven by the shirt-- Listen here, you perverted authoress. You are going to finish this chapter in a timely fashion and you will STOP being so incredibly air-headed and stupid. You are going to decide the end of this story and you. Will. Like. It. Do it or I'll rip off your ears and tail, got it? --points to tsukiraven's cat ears and tail--

**tsukiraven: **Hey! Listen here you! --pushes Sasuke away-- I happen to _like _my ears and tail! I hold the power here, in keyboard form! Just try anything and I'll turn you into something cute! (all angsty characters detest cute things, right?) Like a kitty! Just to spite you, it will be a fluffy _orange _kitty! A fluffy orange kitty that can only say the word Naruto!

**Iruka: **Please don't think she's crazy, she has a three hour math exam tomorrow and she's a little on edge.

**Kakashi: **She owns none of it. Thank your chosen diety.

_**I'll Cover You: Chappie 13**_

_Kakashi... I want to be with you, more than anything. _

_Iruka, I've never felt this way about anyone else before. Let me have you tonight._

Naruto ran. He ran and ran, until he couldn't see the light from their camp in the fading sky anymore. Chocking back a sob, he forced himself to run faster into the darkening night.

Sakura chose Sasuke. Sakura-chan wanted to be with Sasuke, more than him. Why though?

He, Naruto, had always been there for her; always protected her, always supported, praised and loved her. So why now? Why turn her back on him and go to the man who had spurned and hurt her, kicked her away in a crusade for power.

Physical attraction? Was Sasuke just more appealing to her than Naruto?

Mental wants? Sasuke was definitely smarter...

Emotional needs? Sasuke was a regular stoic prince.

Did Sasuke have everything that Naruto didn't?

No, Naruto had something that no one, not even Sasuke, had.

Uzumaki Naruto had Kyuubi.

---

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted. "Naruto, where are you?" She could also hear Sasuke yelling, mere meters behind her.

"Sakura," Sasuke panted, "I can't find him, not even with my sharingan. It's like he vanished."

Sakura looked down momentarily, then flicked her gaze back to Sasuke, her green eyes filled with a steely resolve. "No! I won't except that! We have to find him!"

Sasuke sighed dejectedly. "Sakura is this about the ki... what I did?"

Sakura flushed. "Sasuke-kun, it's not but... we'll talk about it later okay? Please, right now just help me find Naruto!"

Sasuke nodded, straightening up and re-activating his sharingan. "Right. I'll find him. Watch your back." And with that, Sasuke was gone in a swirl of desert dust.

Sakura paused, watching some clouds fly off in the distance. She was torn.

_'I don't know what to think... Sasuke... Naruto, I don't know.' _A beat. _'I wish that I was still friends with Ino. She always was good at handling this kind of thing.'_

A flicker of energy grazed across Sakura's subconscious, arousing her mind and sharpening her senses. She lifted her face to the mild breeze and exhaled, willing her weary mind to follow the trail left by the evanescent chakra. A patch of it seemed to grow to her far left.

Solemn attitude replaced by nervousness, Sakura sped off to her left, excitement fueling the movement of her limbs.

---

There he was... sitting in the mild shelter offered by a sand dune. His face was buried in his knees. It's luck that Sasuke happened to spot him- the orange of his outfit was weather stained and faded, a perfect camouflage for the dessert sands.

Naruto growled; a low, animalistic sound that seemed to convey his hurts and wounds. It came from the depths of his throat and made the hairs on Sasuke's neck prickle.

"Naruto."

The name itself came out harsher than Sasuke had wanted it to, a low guttural command. Not the friendly, warm gesture that he knew Sakura would've given the boy.

Cerulean eyes glared up over orange knees. "Sasuke-teme." The bright orbs were red rimmed; most likely the result of crying. "What do you want?"

"Sakura wanted me to take you back."

Naruto chuckled roughly. "I'm surprised that she knew I was gone."

"Dobe, we've been looking for you for hours! The sun's already gone down."

"I don't care!" Naruto yelled.

That was it for Sasuke. He walked forward, three brisk paces, stopped in front of Naruto and wrenched him up by the front of his shirt. "You're coming back with me."

"No!" Naruto broke free of Sasuke's grip and stepped back, facing Sasuke with a horrible fury in his eyes. Than he mumbled something Sasuke didn't quite catch.

The Uchiha perked his ears. "Sorry?"

"What the hell does she see in you?" Naruto yelled. "You're rude, you're uppity, you're a snob, you're a cold hearted, ice prick of a bastard! I don't even know how she can stand you!"

Sasuke grit his teeth. "We're going back," he said, in a voice filled with determined calm. "Now."

"I said no."

Sasuke growled, low and even. "You just don't get it, do you Dead Last?"

Naruto shouted his fury out and, with astonishing speed, rammed his fist into Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke felt the flesh over the bone of his cheek split, stinging painfully. Wincing, he flew backward several yards. He grimaced slightly, letting the blood dibble down his cheek, leaving a trail of red in its wake.

"This is for you own good, Naruto." _'Yours and Sakura's.'_

Naruto yelled again, throwing his body at the young Uchiha's. Sasuke braced himself at the impact, ducking and dodging as best he could while the Kyuubi tamer threw blow after blow at him.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the shoulders and shook him forcibly. "Why?" He screamed, spit hitting the other's face. "Why do they all like you? You're a horrible bastard! Kakashi-sensei... Sakura-chan... Why am I the only one who sees this? _Why?_"

Sasuke's hand caught Naruto's in mid punch, covering the smaller hand with a larger one. "Naruto. Let's go back. Sakura's waiting for us."

"I saw you kiss her."

Sasuke flushed. "Yeah. I don't think she appreciated it though." Naruto chuckled raspily, bringing his free hand up to his face and scrubbing.

Upon Sasuke's curious remark, he answered with "Stupid desert sand. Always getting in my eyes."

He looked up, Sasuke looked down. Cerulean eyes met Obsidian eyes. Iced fire met flaming ice. Both beings smiled, the shadow a flicker of a smirk and the sun a large, vulpine grin.

Sasuke scoffed, letting Naruto's hand drop from his own. "Ready to go back, dobe?"

Naruto's grin vanished, leaving a scowl in it's place. "Not yet, _teme. _We're going to settle this now."

"Whatever."

Both parties settled into a fighting stance. They observed each other warily as the last rays of the sun dimmed and settled over the horizon. Naruto attacked first.

"Get ready teme!" Naruto pulled a handful of needles out of his jacket. "I'll shove these senbon up your ass!"

Sasuke dodged the projectiles with apparent ease. "You're attacks will not reach me." He stated, his voice icy and calm. He gently flipped open his thigh holster, freeing three shuriken, holding them between the fingers of his right hand. In the other, he gripped a kunai.

Naruto jumped and ducked low to avoid the shuraiken, but he wasn't quite so prepared for the kunai. It grazed his left shin.

He let out a hiss of pain. Blood soaked into the thick, gaudy material of his pants. Naruto hissed, jumping back a meter. _'Damn that bastard! He's going for the psychological warfare too! Grr... Freakin' teme! I'll make him kiss my sandals!'_

Naruto threw off his orange jacket, letting it crumble in the sand. He reached both hands behind his head and tightened the knot securing his headband to his head. Then, he re-settled into his fighting stance.

"C'mon teme! Is that all you've got?" Sasuke smirked, throwing back his head and allowing his hair to obscure his face. When he righted himself, he eyes were crimson. Involuntarily, Naruto shivered. _'Sharingan...'_

"This and much, much more, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, throwing himself mercilessly at the demon-container. "Prepare yourself!"

---

By the time Sakura managed to once again lock her mind around the chakra, night had fallen. She was more than a little worried; now both Sasuke and Naruto were missing. She shivered as the cold nighttime winds hit her burned shoulders. Desert nights were so cold!

Inner Sakura rampaged: _How can a place so hot in the daytime be so freaking cold in the nighttime?_

Shaking her head to clear her mind, Sakura drove on, pumping as much spare chakra as she could into her legs.

It wasn't long before the chakra raged again. But this time, it was cooler, more content. There was another burst, and the chakra became recognizable at one. _'Naruto!' _Another chakra explosion. _'Sa-Sasuke-kun?'_

Sakura willed her tired limbs to move her faster. She leapt over sand dunes as quickly as she could, wondering if both of her teammates were alright.

When she was within earshot, she could hear the shouting.

"Sasuke... Sasuke-bastard! No! Ack! Not there--"

"What's wrong, dobe? Don't like this?"

"No, you teme! Don't do tha- ah _ahh!" _

"Oh Naruto, you're awfully vocal..."

Sakura almost died. Inner Sakura, in all of her yaoi fangirl-ness, cheered in victory.

_'Yes,'_ Inner Sakura wept. Now, if only she could--

Did she just... Yup. Good thought? Maybe... Future investigation needed. Also, therapy. In so, so many ways.

When she heard Naruto's whine's reach a frantic pitch, she decided to make her presence know. Clearing her throat, she stepped out from behind a large dune, flushing red and slightly embarrassed.

What she saw made her choke.

Naruto was sprawled out over Sasuke, struggling in vain to get free. Sasuke had on hand on the blonde's left knee, the other on his stomach. Tickling him. Naruto was laughing and screaming and sputtering, attempting in every way possible to be free. Sasuke was barely grinning, however a smile showed in his dark eyes.

Sakura laughed. It was just that funny. They weren't killing each other. They weren't doing God knows what to each other. Yay!

At the moment of her laugh, both boy looked up, instantly mortified for life. Sasuke shoved Naruto off of him and stood up, brushing off his clothing. "So... I found Naruto." Sasuke said dumbly.

Naruto snorted.

Sakura giggled. "I can see that." The smile on Naruto's face died.

"It's not what you think, Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme came onto me! I tried screaming for help, but he was obviously too overpowered by my charismatic charms that he couldn't stop! He forced himself on me and forcibly made me his!" Naruto sobbed. "He... That bastard stole my innocence!" More sobs.

"Sasuke-kun... you..." Sakura looked at Sasuke sadly.

"Ah, Sakura it wasn't--"

"I always knew you were gay."

Blink. "Pardon me?" Sasuke Uchiha was most certainly _not _gay! Thank you very much!

"C'mon it's obvious! All those girls throwing themselves at you! And you never once cared! It's sooo right there, if you look for it!" Hey, Sakura liked her pranks too.

Naruto cackled. Sakura waved it off with a glittering smile. "I'm only joking, Sasuke-kun. You know that, right?"

Sasuke nodded rather stiffly.

Sakura sat down next to Naruto, motioning for Sasuke to join her. "You know," she said after a few moments. "I like this." Neither boy was sure of how to respond. "Being with you. Both of you. It's like..." Sakura struggled to find a phrase that would describe it.

"A package."

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"Y'know!" Sakura threw her hands around wildly to illustrate her point. "A package! A combination deal! I can't have one of you without the other! So let's..." Sakura took a deep breath. "Let's all stay together." She looked beseechingly from one boy to the other. "Please?"

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged looks. They grinned. "Of course, Sakura-chan!" Naruto beamed, throwing his arms around the girl. "That's what Sasuke-teme came up with!"

Sasuke nodded, wrapping his arms around both of his teammates in turn. Naruto laughed again, yanking Sasuke into a group hug.

Sakura smiled widely, and without words, leaned over and kissed each boy once on the lips. Naruto gaped for a moment. Then, he pulled Sakura towards him and crushed his lips against hers, moaning hungrily and absorbing every bit of the kiss. Sakura didn't hesitate on bit to kiss him back.

When she turned around, Sasuke was smiling at her. She kissed him too, again. This was it. This was the way it should be.

Naruto shook Sakura roughly by the shoulder. "Sakura-chan..."

Begrudgingly, Sasuke gently pulled Sakura away from him. "Can't you wait your turn, Dobe?" Naruto scowled.

"I can! Naruto Uzumaki has enough patience for 10 men! Believe it! But," he pointed off into the distance. "What's that dark line?"

"What dark--" Sakura and Sasuke both looked towards where Naruto was pointing. Indeed, there was a dark smear on the horizon. The jagged outlines of buildings and towers were revealed in the steadily rising sun. All three ninjas held their breath, realizing where they were.

They had finally arrived at Sunagakure.

----

Warm, golden sunlight filtered through the blinds of an onsen hotel room. Iruka woke up happily, stifling a yawn. His smile melted off his face almost instantly, however.

_'Where... Where am I?'_

Iruka looked around in a panic. He couldn't recall going to the hot springs, he could never afford it on a teacher's salary! Mizuki often talked about wanting to take him... Maybe that was why he was here! Iruka blushed. He was naked too. Had Mizuki finally convinced him to--

No! He told Mizuki no before, and the man had never pestered him! Iruka wanted to take things at a slow pace and Mizuki had always seemed fine with that. Then why in all of the hells was he here?

The door at the end of the room creaked open and Iruka dove back into the small bed, wrapping a blanket around himself to preserve his modesty. There was no pain... If he had indeed had sex, there would be hurting, right?

A tall, lean man walked into the room, and Iruka held his breath. The man had silver hair and one deep blue eye, the other was hidden behind a thin strip of black cloth. Not the headband as he normally wore. The usually masked face Iruka was used to seeing around the mission room was exposed, and Iruka flushed at the sight of it.

"Kakashi-sensei?" However, Iruka was also genuinely confused. "Why are you here?"

Kakashi blinked, setting down the two mugs of coffee that he had been carrying. "Iruka? Why am I here? That's a funny question, I suppose you'd just have to ask my parents." Kakashi's smile faded. "You haven't called me 'sensei' in a long time, Iruka. What's going on?"

So, Iruka yelled out the first thing he could think of. "Why _you?" _Kakashi looked taken aback at that. He crossed the room swiftly and pulled Iruka into his arms, forcing eye contact.

"Iruka," he whispered softly. "What is going on?"

"_Don't you touch me!" _Iruka yelled, shoving Kakashi away. The man was being so openly forward and it _scared _him. "Why are you here? Where's Mizuki?"

Kakashi gaped at him for a moment, before recovering himself. "Mizuki? Iruka... Mizuki's been gone from Konoha for years. What's wrong, Ruka--"

"Don't call me Ruka!" Iruka stood up swiftly, and regretted it the moment he did. Nausea and fatigue caught up with him and he registered a strong pain in the back of his head. He staggered, and fell back to the bed.

And a plastic seal seemed to pop in the back of his mind. "Ka...Kashi?"

Instantly, Kakashi was at his side, propping him against one of the pillows that lay on the bed. "Iruka, what is it? Iruka! _Iruka!_"

"Kashi, my head hurts..."

"It's alright, Ruka. I'll get you to the hospital right away." Kakashi picked up Iruka in his arms and was off instantly. There was a nurse he needed to see.

---------

**tsukiraven: **Ta-da! A cliffie!

What is happening to dearest Iruka-sensei?

Will Team 7 make it back with the antidote in time?

What will happen next?

All are intriguing questions that I'll have to be sure to answer soon! Oh yeah!

**Sasuke: **--hits Raven-- Do you have any idea how long it takes a _authoress to update? _Not nearly this long!

**tsukiraven: **That's it! You're a kitty-cat! --chases Sasuke around in an attempt to make him 'cuter'--

**Sasuke: **Stay the hell away from me!

**tsukiraven: **I'll get the fangirls, I swear it!

--to readers-- So anyway, we come to the end of the SasuSakuNaru arc in this ficcy of mine. And it has ended in the pairing of... SasuSakuNaru. Weird. Who'd a seen that one comin'?

**Naruto: **Yay! I win! You're awesome Tsuki-san!

**tsukiraven: **Yes, yes! But... by the time I finish this chappie, I have both taken my math exam and received the results! They... eheh, weren't so great. I passed though!

So, three cheers for passing, reviewing so I write faster, and me updating faster next time! Hip, hip hooray!

Peace, and leave a review on your way out! Ja!


	14. I Should Tell You

**tsukiraven: **Oh yeah! On with the next chapter! Have anything to say about that, Sasuke?

--Sasuke is tied up in the corner with duck tape covering his mouth--

**tsukiraven: **I didn't think so!

**Naruto: **Tsuki-saaaaan! It's raining.

**tsukiraven: **Huh?

**Naruto: **It's raining! I want to go outside!

**tsukiraven: **Then go! A little rain won't kill you!

**Naruto: **--mumbling angrily as he stalks away--

**tsukiraven: **Ah, the mood is right, the music is blaring, so let's pick up where we left off, shall we!

Don't own it. --sob-- My therapist tells me that the only way to solve a problem is by admitting that you have one. My problem is not owning Naruto! now, how to solve it...

_**I'll Cover You, Chappie 14**_

_You stupid man! The only way that I can live my life is if you're here!_

_If you die, Iruka, I'm going with you._

_---_

"What the hell...?"

Raven woke up groggily. It was a nice, sunny, wonderful morning. So why on Earth did it feel as if someone was pounding her head with a hammer?

She dragged herself to her feet and began to prepare herself breakfast. By way of microwave. When the thing beeped, she could swear that she heard more banging. Brushing it off, she went to enjoy the spoils of her breakfast.

One minute later, the banging was renewed. Raven figured it was her neighbors.

Two minutes later brought even more banging. Raven loudly noted that she was a ninja and did indeed need to hone her target skills on something. Preferably something moving.

Two and a half minutes and the banging ceased.

Two and three quarters of a minute brought a trashcan barreling through her front window with enough force to kill someone. That was where she drew the line.

A vein noticeably twitching in her temple, Raven strode to the door, ignoring the beaten up trashcan (her own, as it were) and the shards of glass as she wrenched open the door. What she saw gave her pause.

The Hatake man was standing on her doorstep, Iruka-san in one arm and a brick in the other. Raven blinked, then frowned. Iruka-san looked feverish.

"Please put the brick down, Kakashi-san," Raven stated. "You got my attention with the trashcan."

Kakashi nodded and dropped the brick, stepping forward into Raven's house.

Raven paused for a second, watching Kakashi breeze his way into her home. "Oh please, do come in."

Still muttering angrily to herself, she followed Kakashi in and slammed the door behind her.

"Something's wrong with Iruka." Kakashi stated, clearing off various debris and setting Iruka down on the couch.

"I can see that." Raven kneeled in front of Iruka, pulling open one of the closed eyelids and examining his pupils. "Why didn't you take him to the hospital?"

Kakashi blinked. "Here was closer," he stated as if it were extremely obvious.

"Has he shown any bad symptoms before today?"

"No, he's been fine."

"Taking his medicine like I prescribed?"

"Yes, every morning and night."

"Then what happened?"

Kakashi took a deep breath. "I took him to the onsen, and everything was fine that night. When I woke up the next morning, I left him for a bit to go get some coffee. When I came back, he was awake. He was acting strange too, very jumpy and nervous.

"He called me 'sensei', something he hasn't done in years. And he... He referred to Mizuki. A lot. Almost as if he thought they were still together. When he tried to stand, he collapsed and everything seemed to come back to him. He passed out on the way here."

Raven inhaled sharply before standing. "We're going to the hospital. Now. And then..."

"Then what?"

"I'm going to see the Hokage."

---

Kakashi arrived at the hospital slightly before Raven, with Iruka still asleep in his arms. He headed into the front lobby, where a nurse gave him a knowing look.

"Aquirii-san just called," she explained. "And we'll take him from here, Hatake-sama."

Kakashi was loathe to let the stranger take Iruka from him, however. "I'll carry him. Where to?"

The nurse looked like she was about to argue, but changed her mind when she saw the ferocity in the silver-haired man's visible eye. "Follow me, then."

Kakashi nodded and followed the woman to an unoccupied room where he gently set Iruka on the bed. H pulled up a chair beside his lover and gently stroked the side of his face. Pausing, he let a single finger stray across the pale lips.

He almost smiled as he remembered kissing those lips just a single night ago.

After what couldn't have been more than five minutes, Raven came bustling into the room, still in her pajamas. She shot Kakashi a glare.

"You're paying for my window."

Kakashi couldn't help it- he grinned. "If you can make my Iruka all better, I'll pay off whatever's left on you whole house."

Raven smirked. "Too late to take that back now."

She hurried over and tugged Iruka's right arm out of Kakashi's grasp. She pulled a small sanitary wipe off of the nightstand next to them and wiped he inside of Iruka's elbow. Kakashi raised and eyebrow, concerned.

"Standard procedure," Raven replied, pulling a syringe off of the table and inserting it into Iruka's arm. "It's something quite akin to the drug the good Doctor Koru gave him when he first came in. It'll help him wake up."

Kakashi sighed, relieved as Raven slid the needle out of Iruka. There was just one question on his mind. Which Iruka would greet him? His lover or the one who was still in love with Mizuki?

---

"U... uhn..." Iruka moaned as he woke up. He sat up gingerly, rubbing his head. After a quick look at his surroundings, he discovered that he was actually in the hospital next to his home. Huh. When did that one happen?

Iruka looked around the room again and, on second look, noticed a rather gaudy orange book lying on the bed side table. He flushed angrily. Trust Kakashi to leave _that _book _there. _

Iruka stood up, noticing the wobbly feel of his legs as he attempted to walk on them. He walked over to the door and leaned on the frame, almost casually as he peeked out of the room. There were a few nurses and doctors walking the halls, but no silver-haired man. No Kakashi. His lover wasn't there.

"Iruka-san!" Iruka whirled around to see Raven glaring daggers at him, biting the inside of her right cheek. "You should be in bed!"

"But Aquirii-san, I'm fine. Really!"

"Bed. Now!" Iruka wondered how the nurse could be so damn intimidating, seeing as how she was a whole eight inches shorter than him. Mumbling an apology, Iruka staggered back to bed. The second he was seated, He felt something shoved into his mouth. He coughed and attempted to spit it back out.

"You spit that out and you'll regret it Iruka-san!" Raven chided, readjusting the thermometer in Iruka's mouth. "Don't make me have Kakashi give it to you. Rectally."

Iruka swallowed and sat silently and perfectly still. He heard a small beeping noise and gasped with relief as Raven pulled the thermometer out of his mouth. She shook it to get the excess saliva off and examined it with a professional eye.

"You're running a fever," Raven stated. "101.2. Not exactly bad, but... given your condition, I'll keep you over night."

Iruka nodded. "Aquirii-san?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you wearing pajamas?"

Raven scowled. "That's your boyfriend's fault, dragging you to my house at damn near the crack of dawn and demanding that I treat you! He owes me a new window, you know."

Iruka laughed nervously. "Does he now? But... treat me for what?"

"You don't remember, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka sighed at the changed suffix. _'Confusing little--' _"No I don't."

Raven tutted loudly. "Will you be alright, Iruka-sensei? If you want to wait five minutes, I can bring you back some medicine and some food."

Iruka nodded. "Aquirii-sa--"

"Raven, please."

"Raven-san, where's Kakashi?"

Raven put a finger to her chin in thought. "He wanted to go see Tsunade-sama."

---

Kakashi banged his fist impatiently down on the table. "I don't want to hear that, Tsunade-sama! I want to hear why Iruka couldn't seem to remember me at all!"

Tsunade gazed, unimpressed, at Kakashi's fist. And the nice-sized dent it had left in her desk. "I'll tell you what I see fit to tell you, brat. Until then, however, sit _down! _And stop taking your temper out on the furniture."

Grudgingly, Kakashi obeyed. He sat himself in a rigid chair across from Tsunade's desk and waited for her to speak.

Tsunade sighed. "What I'm going to tell you won't be easy for you to bear, Hatake--"

"Please, just tell me, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade ignored the interruption. "Iruka... The poison inside of Iruka, the Henshitsu toxin. It's working faster than we anticipated. Iruka's time is _less _than we had originally thought. By a sizeable margin."

Kakashi felt as if someone had pulled a large rug out from under him. "Less?"

"Two months," Tsunade stated grimly. "Two months and a week at most. It's been a month and a half already, Hatake. I don't have to spell it out for you." Kakashi remained silent. "Henshitsu poison is fatal, you already know that. The name itself means deterioration. Iruka's memories, his body... Everything will fade until there's nothing left.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-kun. I'm very sorry."

Kakashi didn't heard another word of this, however. He left, running out of the Hokage's office and back to the hospital. Back to his lover.

---

Iruka immediately lightened up when Kakashi came into his room. He hurriedly set the orange book he'd been idly flipping thruogh aside and beckoned Kakashi to him.

Almost instantly, Iruka was enveloped in a tight, strong hug. "Kakashi?"

"You remember me?"

"Of course!" Iruka cried. "How could I ever forget you!"

Kakashi lifted Irukaand settled underneath him, setting the chuunin on his lap. Iruka snuggled up against him, letting his face rest against Kakashi's broad chest.

"Kakashi?"

"Yes, love?"

"You're shaking. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Iruka."

-----------

**tsukiraven: **Dun dun DUN! Another stage in Iruka's condition is revealed! I bet you guys thought I forgot about that, didn't ya?

I didn't though! Ha!

Two updates in one day... I'm on a roll! I'm so proud of myself!

**Kakashi: **If you kill Iruka, so help me God, I'll-- --censored for violence--

**tsukiraven: **o.O

**Sakura: **So, Miss raven, I noticed you were in this chapter an awful lot.

**tsukiraven: **Uh huh. You see, as Iruka's condition worsens, The medical staff'll be in it more.

So, until next time guys! Wait-- where's Naruto? Is he still outside? It's _pouring!_

Oh well. Leave reviews and keep me alive!

Peace Out!


	15. Without You

**tsukiraven: **--enters locker room, followed by Sakura and Tsunade-- Ahh.. nothing beats a good game of softball like pounding Sasuke's face into the dirt while I tag him. Accidentaly! --To Sakura and Tsunade-- You can't prove anything!

**Sakura and Tsunade: **--deep sigh--

**Sakura: **Miss Raven, you're awfully jumpy for someone who beat Sasuke up accidentally...

**tsukiraven: **--working combination lock-- Damn right I'm jumpy. I'm always jumpy. Almost. Unless I'm not. Which is about half of the time, so I guess you could say that--

**Naruto: **--walks in-- Ahh! At least the rain stopped! --Notices the three women changing-- Holy shit!

**tsukiraven: **God dammit, Naruto!

**Tsunade: **Brat, I'll _kill _you!

**Sakura: **Naruto, what the hell?

**Naruto: **--looking at cieling-- Ehehe... so... anyone heard any good jokes lately?

**Tsunade: **Yeah... How about the little brat that snuck into the girls locker room and got totally pulverized?

**Naruto: **I don't think that I've heard that one-- Ahhhhh!

--censored for extreme violence and language--

**Jiraiya: **(peeping through a hole in the wall) tsukiraven doesn't own it-- oohhh... that's the dreaded fangirl punch. I pity that boy... He'll be lucky to fornicate again, much less produce offspring!

_**I'll Cover You, Chappie 15**_

_Be my lover Iruka... will you?_

_Iruka... I love you dammit!_

Iruka smiled up at Kakashi in an attempt to cheer him up. The poor man had been awfully down for some reason.

"Kashi?"

Kakashi looked down at the cozy man in his arms. "Iruka-love?"

Iruka widely grinned. "I love it when you call me that. I was wondering..."

"Yeah?"

"You know... when I'm better I mean, that onsen trip you've been planning? We should go!"

Kakashi nearly laughed. Nearly. "What are you talking about, Iruka? We already went."

Iruka blinked. "We did?"

"Yes, we did! Are you telling me..."

"Kakashi I don't remember going!"

---

"I don't think I can really help you with your problem," Raven stated.

The hysterical woman continued to whimper. "But... my husband he... his leg is bent wrong and I--"

"Raven-san!"

Raven whilred around to see a masked Kakashi bounding towards her. "Raven-san, Iruka doesn't--"

"No. I am with a patient. Talk to someone else if you have to. I have things to do."

---

Iruka once again threw the book he was reading under the covers as his lover stormed into the room. "No luck?"

Kakashi huffed and sat on the chair next to the bed. "Raven wouldn't even talk to me."

Iruka shurgged. "I feel fine, anyway. Nothing hurts and I think that my fever's going down."

"Yeah, but still..." Kakashi cupped his hand to the side of Iruka's face. "I just want to see you happy. I _love _you, Ruka."

Iruka leaned contently into Kakashi's hand, letting his own hand stray to his lover's face in turn. "I love you too, Kakashi." He smiled at the look in his lover's eye. He knew what that meant.

"Get over here, Kakashi!" Kakashi grinned and flopped onto the bed over Iruka, careful not to crush the smaller man. He tugged Iruka against him, letting the dolphin fall flat against his chest as he stroked his hair.

Kakashi frowned distractedly. Iruka's hair was lank and the roots were damp from sweat. His face was thinned and there were bags under his eyes. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist. He was definetly a lot thinner. Tsunade was right.

His love was wasting away. The proof was in his arms.

Iruka's indomitable spirit, his prescence of mind, his fire. And now, his body as well.

Kakashi would be damned if he'd allow another loved one to die.

Iruka grinned up at him, chocolate eyes full of love and warmth and a little something else.

Kakashi grinned back. Iruka was here now. Right in his arms. That was what mattered.

Iruka leaned up and planted a soft kiss on the jounin's mask. His agile tongue darted out and traced the delacate corners of his lover's mouth that he knew were there. He pulled back, still smiling.

"The cloth of your mask tastes awful, you know."

"Ruka, you know I just wear it so that no one will become jealous and steal me away from you."

Iruka chuckled, shaking his head. He tugged the mask down and latched his lips onto his lover's. Kakashi smirked into the kiss and happily complied. Until--

A hassled looking Doctor Koru burst into the room, looking about almost frantically.

"Tell me," he said without pause. "When was the last time either of you had seen Nurse Aquirii?"

"About fifiteen minutes ago," Kakashi supplied. "Why?"

"She was found in a downstairs supply closet, unconscious and barely breathing, _twenty _minutes ago."

---

"How the hell did this happen?" Raven cried mournfully. "I was being so cautious too! Now I'll be demoted! Waugh! I need this job!"

"Please, Raven-chan," Tsunade said, with the air of an impatient babysitter telling a two year old to go to sleep. "Tell me what happened. I promise no one will demote you."

"Well, that's a relief to hear. I was walking back from getting food for Iruka-sensei," Raven stated. "When someone called me over. I went over, it looked like... I dunno, maybe a younger intern? Anywho, he asked for a key to a file cabinet and I was happy to oblige. I tried to balance all of the food in one hand and that didn't work- I spilled hot coffee all down my front. I went to put everything down and wipe myself off when my necklace fell out.

"You know the one? The one with all of the keys I have on it?"

Raven sighed, rubbing her bandaged head absentmindedly. "Next thing I know, there's a half-dozen throwing stars poking out of my arm and a really bad pain in my head and neck. It goes blank after that."

Tsunade coughed. "And when you woke up, you were shoved in a closet and your necklace--"

"Was gone."

"Damn. It's a perfect disguise, really. Knock out the ninja when she's distracted and henge into her, walk around like you know the place and the people and what's going on, and then use her stolen necklace to get whatever you need--" Tsunade cut herself off, suddenly upset. "Raven, did that necklace have a master key?"

"Yes, it did..." Raven's eyes widened to an impossible size. "You honestly don't think--"

"If he started something, even if it wasn't what he meant to start, why not finish it?"

A single name escaped Raven's mouth before both kunoichi vanished.

"Iruka-sensei!"

---

Kakashi strolled down the hallway beside Doctor Koru. "Calm down, Doc. You yourself said that she woke up and was fine. And that she was meeting with Tsunade."

Koru grumbled angrily, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Damn ninja and all of their transformation shit."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You know that I'm a ninja, right?"

Koru grumbled even more. "That doesn't give me any special preference towards them. But why on Earth would someone want to look like Nurse Aquirii, for God's sake! She has to be the worst disguise I've ever heard of."

"Sometimes," Kakashi said wisely, "the best disguise is none at all." He smirked, although it was hidden by the mask that covered his handsome face. "Ninja 101, Doc."

Kakashi's keen eye caught it before the doctor did. A shadowed blur, almost to quick for his eye to comprehend. In seconds, it was gone. As it passed, Kakashi thought he felt a familiar spike of chakra. He stared after it and, on second thought, raised his headband to reveal a whirling sharingan eye.

"Hatake? Hatake, what are you doing?" Koru demanded.

"It's Raven-san," Kakashi stated solmnley, adjusting his headband. "She's running. Fast. I'm gonna go catch up." And with that, he was gone after the blur.

"Raven-san!" Kakashi yelled. "Slow it down!"

The blur stopped, revealing the young nurse. Her right arm was covered in bandages, as was her head. She still wore her pajamas. Kakashi realized that that was something the copycat had forgotten to manipulate. He stored the info away- it could come in useful.

"Kakashi-san," Raven nodded. "I was going to see Iruka-sensei."

"You're pretty banged up."

"Don't I know it." Raven turned, beginning to run again. "Come with me Kakashi-san. I wanna make sure that my hunch is wrong."

Raven and Kakashi ran to Iruka's room in silence, Raven with supressed dread and Kakashi with anxiousness. He could feel Raven's nervous and edgy chakra rolling off of the girl in waves and it sickened him. Was something wrong with Iruka?

When they reached Iruka's door, Raven halted and silently removed a kunai from the inside of her shirt. She coughed, rubbing her nose. Kakashi recognized the symbols- Just in case. He nodded, taking out his own shuraiken.

"Iruka-sensei!" Raven called. "Iruka-sensei, are you there?" She jiggled the door knob. It was locked. "Iruka-sensei?" Raven swore. "If I had Tsunade-sama's strength, I'd bee in there in two seconds. Iruka-sensei, are you okay?" Still no answer. Raven closed her eyes and listened hard. When she opened her eyes, they were worried.

"Kakashi-san, please kick the door down."

Kakashi complied easily, his foot wrenching the solid wood off of it's hinges with a louch crunch. The door flew to the opposite end off the room. Both ninja ran in eagerly, weapons out.

The room was perfect and orderly, only missing one thing. Iruka. The open window curtains fluttered a steady window as Kakashi felt his stomach drop.

It couldn't have been anyone but him. Mizuki.

---------

**tsukiraven: **--standing over beaten up Naruto-- That'll learn ya, won't it punk? Teach you to go around spying on innocent, helpless females when they're (notices readers) Oh hi!

It seems that our story now takes a turn for the worst, ne? What will happen? Iruka's condition is rapidly deteriorating... will Kakashi reach him in time?

**Jiraiya: **--muttering-- Beats me...

**tsukiraven: **Who said that? --turns around, sees hole in wall-- Well, well... what do we have here?

**Jiraiya: **Oh, shit!

**Tsunade: **Damn pervert!

**Sakura: **Well, it looks like from here on in, our favorite lovers are doomed to horrible tests of faith, love and hope. Also, horrible omakes.

Till next time! Bye bye!

**tsukiraven: **Wait! Wait! I might not be able to update as soon as normal next time- my computor's a liiiittle wonky right now. It's old. It's not as spry as it used to be.

So review to keep my spirits up! Peace out!


	16. La Boheme

**tsukiraven: **I'm back! And let me start off by saying that my laziness is NOT my excuse for being late this time! --clears throat-- Let me explain...

Shortly after I updated my last chapter, my computer died. Utterly and completely. It was horrible; I was almost in constant fetal position wondering if it would be okay. It just needed a new hard drive. Thank my deity that I already had all of my crap saved on an external hard drive.

Otherwise, I'd've been toast!

**Naruto: **--in a full body cast-- Mmmphh! Mfff! H mm!

**Jiraiya: **--also in a full body cast-- Kmmf! Mmmm... Nnff!

**Kakashi: **It's like they're... talking to each other.

**tsukiraven: **Oooo... Creepy.

**Tsunade: **What's that, Jiraiya? You want both of your eyes gouged out so that you can never look at beautiful young women again? --shrugs-- Well, if it's what you want...

**Jiraiya: **Mmmm! Nggg! MMMMMPPHHFFFF!

**Sasuke: **That's what you get for being a pervert.

**tsukiraven: **Sasuke's probably the only one here that won't own up to being a pervert himself.

All right, action! I don't own Naruto! Yet...

_**I'll Cover You, Chappie 16.**_

_He is my student same as any other... the Kyuubi doesn't make him different!_

_Touch my sensei... And I'll kill you!_

"Oh, we've finally made it!" Sakura beamed at the open gates of the city. Sunagakure lay sprawled out before the three young teens, an oasis in the desert.

More or less.

Each ninja hauled a pack up higher on their backs, and sprinted towards the city. It was their reason for coming. They were supposed to be Iruka's salvation, after all.

Tsunade had said that the poison took three months to fully take root. That meant what...

Sakura went over the entire math in her head.

_'A month to get here, a month to get back... that's two months, straight off of the bat,' _she thought to herself. _'But, to top it off, there's been all of those sandstorms on our way in. That set us back another three weeks. And all of those arguments we've had… Let's say that's another three days- half of a week.' _Sakura visibly winced.

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto," she said quietly. Both boys turned around.

"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I know that we've never been here," Sakura stated matter-of-factly, "But we don't have any time to lose. Let's get the antidote and get out. Almost two months have already gone by.. Iruka can't wait any longer."

Sasuke smiled wanly. "I was just thinking the same thing, Sakura." Sakura glowed with the almost compliment. Naruto nodded. "We have to get in, get out and get back to Konoha as quickly as we can…"

"We need a month to get back," Naruto mused. "So let's not waste anymore time! At the rate we're going, we'll be back in plenty of time for three months."

"Right," Sakura said. "But let's not take any chances, there could be more storms on the way out like there was in. Let's find Gaara and get that antidote."

"Did I hear you say that you were looking for Gaara?" Team 7 spun around quickly only to find themselves face to face with a tall young woman, her blonde hair pulled into 4 pigtails around her head.

"Temari-san," Sakura said, relieved. "Yes, you did. Could you please take us to him?"

---

"Kazekage-sama, a group of Konoha-nins are here to see you," Gaara looked up from where he was seated by a window on the far side of his office.

"Send them in." Almost immediately following his statement, Naruto burst into the room, an anxious look on his face.

"Kazekage? Where's he? Who's the new Kazekage?" Sakura shook her head and Sasuke glared mildly at Naruto.

"I am the new Kazekage, Naruto-kun," Gaara said rhythmically, only a little perturbed by Naruto's outburst.

"No way!" Naruto yelled. "You're my age and you're Kazekage already? That's so cool!"

"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" Sasuke said.

"Yes, what is it you wished to see me about?" Gaara asked.

"Henshitsu," Sakura stated simply. "We need an antidote."

Gaara raised a non-existent brow. "You know that it won't come cheap..."

"We know," Sakura said hurriedly. "We have money to pay for it."

"Hnn," Gaara nodded lightly and turned, shuffling through a stack of papers. Pausing, he looked back towards the bedraggled group. "Go downstairs. There's a room directly across from the staircase."

"Will we find the antidote there?" Naruto asked anxiously.

"No. You'll find a place to rest, sleep and shower. You need all three. I'll get your antidote in order, and you can leave first thing tomorrow." Gaara gave all three of them a piercing look with his bright eyes. "Dismissed."

---

"I'm telling you, if Gaara can become Kazekage at this age, I can become Hokage!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, throwing a pillow at Naruto. "Whatever, Dobe."

"I'm serious, Sasuke-teme!"

"I bet you are."

"How long are the both of you going to argue for?" Sakura asked, exiting the washroom. "I could hear through my whole shower!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Sorry Sakura-chan!" Sasuke grunted. Sakura accepted both apologies.

The pink haired girl clambered into the soft, large bed directly in the center of the room and patted either side of her. Sasuke and Naruto, taking the hint, each took a side and climbed in beside her.

"Wow!" Naruto exclaimed, burying his face in a pillow. "Comfy."

Sasuke nodded. "It is nice to sleep in a bed again."

Sakura nodded and dropped her head to the pillow below her, breathing in its clean scent. "We're all packed?"

"Yup," Naruto slid next to her and wrapped his arms around Sakura's waist, cuddling up against her.

"Alarm set to 3:30?"

"It is," Sasuke crawled over to Sakura from the right and threw his arms over Naruto's, trapping Sakura between the two of them. Naruto gave Sasuke a wide, blue-eyed smile and Sasuke returned it, however small the smile may have been.

And Sakura was grateful to have seen the exchange. "Good night." And she switched off the light.

----

"Ahhh…" A cool breeze wafted in through white curtains, disrupting Iruka's sleep and startling him into consciousness. He blinked, and sat up, wincing as he did so.

Iruka remembered something should be wrong with him. He remembered that he was waiting for someone to bring him food, and someone to come back to him. So why couldn't he remember what, who and who?

And knowing where he was would've been a nice start.

A door at the far edge of the room creaked open, and Iruka jumped, gasping as this brought a jolt of pain to his raw legs. When he saw who entered the room, his pained expression melted into a smile.

A tall, lithe man with silver hair strode into the room. Smiling gently, he sat on the edge of Iruka's bed and reached a hand up to stroke the said of Iruka's face. "Hello Love," he whispered.

Iruka smiled softly, leaning into the touch of his lover. "Hey there, Mizuki."

--------

**tsukiraven**: Dun dun DUUUUUN! I told you it would happen. -–sob—-Poor Iruka's memories! Does he really not remember Kakashi? Does he really think Mizuki is his lover? What about his legs? What could possibly happen to Konoha's favourite teach—-

_Thunk!_

**Sasuke:** Stop asking questions that you already know the answers to!

**Kakashi: **Sasuke, that was a little harsh.

**Sasuke: **She had it coming.

**Iruka: **Maybe a small smack, yes. You didn't have to hit her over the head with a two-by-four.

**Sasuke: **--shrug—-

**tsukiraven: **Oh, so many pretty stars….

**Kakashi: **Well, all right, that takes care of this chapter. Now if you'll all excuse me, Mizuki season just started. I wouldn't want to miss a second of it.

**Sakura: **So this is good-bye until next time! -–waves—-Ja!


	17. What You Own

**tsukiraven: **I'm back! Cha!

**Kakashi: **You gonna start the chapter or what?

**tsukiraven: **Bring it on from anywhere!

**Naruto: **C'mon, Tsuki-san! The readers are waiting!

**tsukiraven: **All right then, I'll call your bluff.

**Sakura: **Huh? What is she doing?

**Sasuke: **Did I knock something out of place when I hit her?

**tsukiraven: **Man.. Clouds are sure nice.

**Sasuke: **Your head's full of them!

**Sakura: **Raven-san, shouldn't you start the chapter?

**tsukiraven: **--nods gravelly-- This is my one and only original technique.

**Iruka: **It's that new video game "Naruto: Ultimate Ninja". She doesn't like to be away from it for too long, and now she's quoting it.

**Naruto: **Yeah! It's awesome! A video game that I inspired, believe it!

**Tsunade: **She doesn't own it. Or RENT. Or Azumanga Daioh. Thank you, don't sue.

I'll Cover You; Chappie 17 

Iruka, I know this sounds harsh, but you have to forget about Mizuki.

I'll never truly leave you, my love.

Iruka stretched out happily across the bed, Mizuki watching him contentedly. "Mmm... Is it morning?"

Mizuki shook his head. "No, it's afternoon."

"Then why am I in bed?" Iruka looked down at himself and quirked an eyebrow. "And I'm in hospital pajamas?"

"Yeah, you were injured in your last mission." Mizuki looked at Iruka intently, concerned. "You don't remember?"

"No," Iruka said. "But if you say it, Mizuki, than I trust you."

---

"We have to find him," Raven said.

"You think?" Kakashi asked frantically. Raven gave him a dry stare.

"Now is not the time for sarcasm, Kakashi-san. Iruka-sensei could be anywhere!"

"I know," Kakashi muttered. "I know..."

Raven walked briskly over to the window and poked her arm out. When she determined that there were no traps, she stuck her entire head out, her green eyes working furiously.

"I don't see them," She stated, pulling herself back into the room. "They're long gone by now."

"I'm going," Kakashi started to form the hand signs to teleport himself out, but stopped when Raven grabbed his arm.

"No, you're not." Raven stated lowly. "We're going to go get Tsunade."

---

"Mmm," Iruka sighed as Kakashi covered his neck in kisses. "Don't stop."

Kakashi grinned into the man's shoulder and continued his ministrations, lapping the chuunin's warm skin. His mask had found it's way off, as well as Iruka's flak vest.

Snap

_And the hair tie, too._

_Iruka's silk hair flew down to frame his face, a flush staining his cheek dark red. _

"_Oh! Kakashi!" _

_Kakashi looked up from Iruka's neck to see the younger man looking down at him with his loving, brown eyes. "Iruka?"_

"_Tonight..." Iruka whispered. "I think.. I think that I'm ready."_

_Kakashi lifted himself completely upright and pulled Iruka against him, cradling the man against his body. "Are you sure," Kakashi said softly, nuzzling his face into the man's soft, brown hair. "I won't force you if you're not."_

_Iruka pulled back slightly, raising his arms to loop around Kakashi's shoulders so he could stare into the other man's eyes. Both of them._

"_Kakashi, I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life." Iruka took a deep breath and reached up, sealing Kakashi's lips against his own._

"_I love you," he whispered as he pulled away. "I'm going to prove it."_

_---_

Kakashi waited with more anxiety than one man should ever, ever have. Tsunade was the Hokage, the strongest, fastest, and overall best ninja in the village of Konohagakure.

Than why the hell was it taking her so long?

Kakashi paced back and forth across Doctor Koru's office, impatiently chewing on his lip. He was sure that there would be a dark patch on his mask where saliva had wetted it, but he couldn't even begin to care.

Iruka was missing. What man in his right mind could think about anything else?

---

"_Iruka! Rise and shine!" _

_Iruka didn't want to 'rise and shine'. Iruka wanted sleep... Iruka wanted nice, quiet dark, peaceful sleep. _

"_C'mon sleepyhead!"_

_Sleep... Focus on the sleep..._

Poke. _"Iruka! Ruka! Ruru-sensei!"_

'_It's okay Iruka; you've been through hell and high water. You can handle one annoying jounin.'_

"_Iruuuuu-kaaaaa!" _Poke. Poke. Poke.

_Iruka ground his teeth. 'Remember that you love him, remember that you love him...'_

"_Iru—-"_

"_What?" Iruka hissed. "What do you want Kakashi?"_

_Kakashi ignored Iruka's tone. "I know you're sick, so I—-" _

"_Yes," Iruka ground out, sitting up straight and giving Kakashi the best death glare that he could manage with red-rimmed eyes, a stuffed nose and a brain that felt like it wanted to rip itself right out of his head. "I'm sick! And sick people need sleep! Let me sleep!"_

_Kakashi looked downcast. "But I—-" _

_Iruka had had more than enough. "You can wait a week for sex."_

_Kakashi raised his eyes to meet Iruka's. "Is that what you think I really came for, Iruka?" Kakashi stood up mechanically, raising his mask to cover his face once again. "I'll go and let you sleep then."_

_Kakashi strode to the door and walked out, leaving Iruka alone in the room. _

_Iruka frowned, scratching the back of his head. He had been a little hard on Kakashi, but really! The man needed to—_

_Oh!_

_And than Iruka saw it, laying on his nightstand. A tray laden with fluffy waffles, maple syrup, water, orange juice, eggs and cold medicine._

"_Wait! Kakashi, wait!" Iruka threw himself out of his bed and stumbled towards the door, treading uneasily to the front of his house. _

"_Kakashi!" He spotted the man about to leave. "Kashi!" Kakashi turned back._

_Iruka threw himself at the man, wrapping his arms around him._

"_I'm sorry," He mumbled into Kakashi's chest. "I'm sorry, Kashi. Forgive me?"_

_Kakashi smiled. "Well, when you put it like that, how could I not?"_

"_Hey, Kakashi?"_

"_Mm?"_

"_Why were you still here anyway?"_

"_I was hoping you'd come after me."_

_---_

Kakashi's mind whirled. _'Iruka...Iruka, My Iruka...'_

What could've happened to him? Obvious, Mizuki happened.

Where were they? The only reason that Kakashi had yet to leave the hospital was that he didn't know where to go when he did leave.

Was Iruka:

Okay? Maybe.

Scared? Probably.

Safe? He'd better be.

Alive?

Kakashi stopped there. He wouldn't even think about it. Iruka had to be alive, he had to be.

Without Iruka, there was no life for Kakashi. There was no future.

"Kakashi-kun!" Tsunade burst into the office. "We think that we know where they might be."

Kakashi had never paid anything more attention in his life. All of his focus suddenly swept to Tsunade.

"Tell me everything."

-------

**Sakura: **Oh, poor Kakashi! Raven-san, we'd better get back to Konoha soon!

Raven-san?

**tsukiraven: **Feh. The same jutsu won't work on me twice.

**Kakashi: **Dear lord...

**Naruto: **Tsuki-san! Snap out of it!

**Sasuke: **C'mon, motivation!

**tsukiraven: **--scowls at Sasuke—- You learned a stupid jutsu!

**Sasuke: **Hey! –-tilts back in chair—None of the jutsu that I learn are stupid. (chair wobbles) –Sasuke tips over—-

**tsukiraven: **Ahahaha! You almost fell!

**Sasuke: **--grumbles—-

**tsukiraven: **Wow, two updates in one day! Are you guys proud of me? Oh yeah! My question thing...

Will team 7 make it back to Konoha in time? Will Iruka ever remember Kakashi? Is Kakashi doomed to lose the one person he loves more than anything?

And what about Mizuki, here? What's this guy got up his sleeve?

Well, please commemorate this mementos occasion (the two update thing) by dropping me a review! Thank you!

Till next time! Peace out!


	18. Over the Moon

**tsukiraven: **Sail away where no ball and chain can keep us from the roarin' waves!

**Naruto: **Together undivided but forever we'll be free.

**Sasuke:** So sail away aboard our rig;

**Sakura:** The moon is full,

**Tsunade: **And so are we.

**Kakashi: **Seven drunken pirates-

**Jiraiya: **We're the seven deadly sins!

**tsukiraven: **Yah!

**Iruka: **I don't understand any of them. At all.

Raven-san doesn't own it. Thank goodness. Not RENT, not Naruto, and not "Seven Deadly Sins" by Flogging Molly.

I'll Cover You; Chappie 18 

_You really think that I'd lie to you, Iruka-kun?_

_If you're reading this Iruka, your father and I are—_

"Tell me everything," Kakashi demanded.

Tsunade glared at the man. "If I tell you," she said, "you cannot go in rashly. You have to wait for the opportune moment—"

Kakashi pounded on the wall beside him. "Damn the opportune moment!" He shouted. "And damn waiting! I'm going to rescue Iruka- no matter what!" Kakashi's hand slid off of the wall and his head drooped forward, bellying the pure sadness the man seemed to hold.

"Please, Tsunade-san... He means everything to me, please... Tell me where he is."

Tsunade sighed. She leaned back against a wall opposite from Kakashi and stared at the younger man.

He was utterly woebegone, his hair dirty and eye (although, unseen at the moment) was clouded and red rimmed. His shoulders were shaking with a force that Tsunade knew could only be tears.

When a shinobi like Kakashi, a proud, strong warrior, was crafted from the heart of Konoha their training sometimes left them so emotionally desolate that they weren't even human anymore.

Tsunade was happy that Kakashi wasn't one of those Shinobi, as she watched him attempt to hold back the tears streaming from his eyes.

"Alright," she whispered, surprised to hear her own voice catching. "I'll tell you what I know. Just... one thing; Promise you'll both be back alive."

"I-I'll do everything in my power, but," Kakashi stated, quickly wiping the tears from his visible eye. He briefly lifted his forehead protector to rub his Sharingan free of tears. Then he looked straight at Tsunade, "he'll make it back, even if I don't."

"I believe you," Tsunade said softly. "And apartment on the south border of Konoha, just barely in the village. Small, one story, a white house with gray shutters. Kakashi...

"We don't know what Mizuki's planning. Speed is of the essence."

---

"Goodbye, Gaara-sama!" Sakura said cheerfully. "Thank you for everything."

Gaara nodded, and smiled faintly at the three waiting shinobi. "You've received the antidote?"

Sasuke patted his pocket. "I have it."

"Well, we should get going!" Naruto said happily. "We don't have a day to spare. A month is really all we have left, but we should try to get back before that! After all, we ran into some pretty nasty sandstorms on the way here. You shoulda seen 'em, Gaara! They were as wide as—"

"A month?" Gaara questioned softly. "Didn't it take you a little over two months to arrive here?"

"Yes," Sakura said. "But Tsunade-sama said that we had about three months before the poison took a fatal effect."

"She's made a grave error." Gaara said. "Henshitsu poison is excellent for torture, it often puts the victim in so much pain that they're willing to tell any and all information that they know.

"But, the name itself does mean deterioration, so- obviously- a captive would be no use past the point when their memories begin to falter, unless they're simply hostages.

"That's why the poison on lasts two and a half months."

Team seven gaped at Gaara, surprise and horror written on their faces.

"Two... two and a half months?" Sakura gasped. "But that means we only have about eight days to get back to Iruka-sensei!"

"No one can cross that desert in eight days," Sasuke said lowly. "It's impossible."

"We can't just let Iruka-sensei die!" Naruto screamed. He rounded on Gaara, grasping the front of his Kazekage robes. "Please, Gaara! We have to do something!"

Gaara gently eased Naruto's hands off of him. "Naruto-kun, calm yourself. All of you," Gaara met each member of team seven's eyes, "There is a way to get you to Konoha in five days."

Naruto straightened immediately. "Can we--?"

Gaara nodded. "Of course. It's a small bead; it increases your speed ten-fold. It draws on a rather large sum of chakra, but I think the three of you will be able to handle it. I can have three of them sent down instantly. Their power is not endless, however and if you should break one, I cannot give you a replacement."

"It doesn't matter!" Naruto cried. "Thank you Gaara! Thank you so much!"

Gaara smiled wryly. "Of course, Naruto-kun. Sakura-san, Sasuke-san."

In less than five minutes, a messenger appeared, holding out three steal cords; each with a small glass bead attached.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke each took the necklaces wordlessly and tied them on. Naruto slipped his underneath his coat and patted it affectionately; twisting it so that it intertwined with the necklace that Tsunade had given him.

They nodded their thanks to Gaara, and in seconds they were gone.

--------

**tsukiraven: **Oh yeah! Another speedy update, dattebayo!

**Sakura: **Miss Raven, if you continue to update so quickly, your readers may become dependant on it...

**Iruka: **(sulking) I wasn't in this chapter.

**tsukiraven: **Yes, but you play such a big part in the next one!

**Kakashi: **My Ruka's a star.

**tsukiraven: **Show me your love and drop me a line!

**Naruto: **Let's hope that the next chapter comes this fast.

Peace Out, guys!


	19. Halloween

**tsukiraven: **Guess who's back, dattebayo!

**Sasuke: **Let me take a wild guess...

**tsukiraven: **Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, that's who!

**Sasuke: **o.O

**Naruto: **Is that not what you expected her to say, Sasuke?

**tsukiraven: **--pokes Sasuke-- What are yeh, a eunuch?

**Sasuke: **No! I have a perfectly low singing voice, thank you!

**tsukiraven: **--eyes Sasuke suspiciously--

**Naruto: **Hey, d'ya think I could do those stunts that Sparrow does in the movie?

**tsukiraven: **(absently) Sure, go knock yourself out.

I don't own it. Cept Raven. That's me! And tsukiraven. That's also me!

_**I'll Cover You; Chappie 19.**_

_I just love you so much, Kakashi..._

_And even though I die today, I will always love my son._

"Mizuki!" Iruka called forlornly. "I'm cold!"

Mizuki looked back at Iruka. "I suppose I could fix that."

Iruka smiled. "Thanks. I know that it looks like summer out, but I feel really chilled. Just another blanket would be fine."

Mizuki grinned. "Another blanket, Iruka?"

"Yes please."

"Are you sure that's what you really want?"

Iruka blinked. "Huh?" Mizuki crawled onto the bed, snaking his way up towards Iruka until he hovered over the other man. Leering at him, Mizuki leaned down and took a thick swipe at Iruka's neck with his tongue, leaving a hot trail behind.

"Mi-Mizuki! What are you doing?" Mizuki made no move to stop, reaching his left hand below Iruka's covers and slipping it up the chuunin's shirt.

"You want this, don't you?" Mizuki hissed softly. Continuing his assault on the teacher's neck, Mizuki's left hand found a dusky nipple and began to roll it. His other hand made it's way lower. "Don't you?" He repeated.

"Mi-" Iruka stammered breathlessly. "Mizuki, I- ah... ah!" Mizuki's left hand began to move faster, rubbing Iruka's nipple into full erection.

"I'm warming you up, better than a blanket ever could." Mizuki looked up at the red teacher. He pinched with his left hand. "Doesn't that feel nice?"

"Yes..." Iruka moaned.

"Do you want me to stop?" Mizuki purred, his right hand sliding it's way teasingly low.

"I don't know."

Mizuki looked up sharply. "What do you mean 'you don't know'?"

Iruka looked pleadingly at Mizuki. "I really don't. It feels really, really good, but I can't help but get the feeling that it's... it's..."

"Wrong?"

Iruka met Mizuki's eyes. "Yes." He whispered.

Mizuki glared at the teacher. "You wouldn't tell him to stop."

Iruka blinked again. "Who?"

Mizuki smiled a horrible grin. "Kakashi. Hatake Kakashi."

Iruka sucked in a sharp breath. "Ka-Kakashi-sensei? Why wouldn't I say no to him? You're not making sense, Mizuki!"

"I'm not?" Mizuki's voice became lower, sleeker as he pressed his hand against Iruka's crotch. "You let him do this..."

"Stop it Mizuki!"

"You let him do this and so much more, Iruka..."

"Mizuki, stop!"

"What does that man have that I don't?" Mizuki glared at Iruka, rubbing his member through the thin cloth of his hospital pajamas.

Iruka whimpered. "Mizuki, you're not like this!"

"I offered you eternity," Mizuki said simply. "And you chose--"

"Wha-- Aghh!" Iruka moaned in pain as light flashed across his eyes.

'_The power, Iruka. Orochimaru can grant eternal life. Come with me. Leave this village that you say you love so much, and join me. Forever... we could be together forever." Mizuki's eyes sparkled dangerously.'_

"What...Argh... My- my head..." Iruka groaned as flashes of light danced across his eyelids. Mizuki chuckled and began to unbutton Iruka's shirt.

'_I think they meant it, when they said you can't buy love...'_

"Mizuki, stop! Get--"

'_Shut it! Do you know how w-worried I was? I waited up every night, I didn't even **sleep**! I had no way to know if you were okay, or if you were **dead!** All I could think about was you! You and your stupid smug look that you get whenever you're right, you and your sharingan, you and how I didn't know if I'd ever be able to tell you that **I'm in love with you!** B-because I'm so in love with you, K-Kakashi...'_

"--Off--"

'_So, with a thousand sweet kisses, I'll Cover You.'_

"Mizuki, get the Hell off of me!" Iruka roared, throwing the man bodily across the room.

"The only man I'll ever let touch me is Kakashi Hatake," Iruka snarled. "The man I love!"

"If that's the way you feel--"

'_Dating! Did you decide we're dating just now? On the spur of the moment?'_

"--Then I'll have no problem killing you." Mizuki slipped a kunai out of a back pouch.

'_Iruka, Iruka! It's Kakashi! It's me, Iruka, open your eyes!_'

Iruka growled deep in his throat, but he knew it was no use. He couldn't move. Mizuki was going to kill him.

Mizuki eyed Iruka's body warily. "To be honest," he stated flatly, "It seems like a bit of a waste; you have such a beautiful body Iruka."

"Touch me and I'll rip off all of your appendages starting with your shortest." Iruka spat.

'_There's only us, there's only this--'_

Mizuki raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to start a fight Iruka?"

"Yes." Mentally, Iruka cursed his defiant inner self. But there was no turning back now. "Bring it on, Mizuki."

"Suit yourself," Mizuki brought his arm up and in one swift movement brought it down again, bisecting the pillow Iruka had been leaning on moments before.

Iruka rolled off of the bed, landing on the carpeted floor with a soft thump.

'When they act tough, you call their bluff!' 

Briefly, Iruka pressed a palm to his forehead. The memories were coming back to him with such force and intensity that he could barely see. He swaggered to the side when Mizuki attempted to kick him, and grabbed his attackers knee, flipping him over.

'_Iruka... I have always loved you. Ever since I saw you- ever since before I saw you I think- I have been madly in love with you. I only wish that I could take all of the poison from your veins and keep it. I don't want to see you in pain, Iruka. I know that I'm a bastard. I don't deserve you. I won't ever deserve you._

_But I need you. I'm a selfish, perverted prick and I will never let you go. I love you too much to let anyone else have you. You mean so much to me... more than anything else. I love you so much it hurts, Iruka. Do you want more of an explanation, my love?'_

"Why are you even fighting, Iruka?" Mizuki drawled, sitting up and glaring at Iruka. "What do you have to go back to?"

"I," Iruka panted. "I have Kakashi. I have a family, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke... I have children to teach and a village to protect. But you wouldn't understand that Mizuki.

"You don't have a lover. You don't have a family, you left the Academy years ago and you betrayed Konoha." Iruka took small satisfaction at the look of rage that crossed Mizuki's face.

Iruka took a deep breath and summoned every ounce of his chakra, pushing it into his legs. _'What I wouldn't give for a chakra enhancing pill right about now...' _Shakily he stood up, leaning on the wall behind him.

"Mizuki... Let's fight."

---------

**tsukiraven: **I'm so impressed with myself, I don't know what to do! Four updates in two days!

**Kakashi: **Yes, it is most impressive... but can you keep up the slack?

(Inner Kakashi: Damn her... and damn that Mizuki for even _thinking _that he could touch my Iruka!)

**tsukiraven: **I think I can. I am free of all things now that I'm on vacation! No exams, no projects... I'm living the good life, and I think it's starting to show in my work!

What will be the outcome of Mizuki and Iruka's final fight? Will Kakashi reach his lover in time? And Team seven... will they make the time break?

And what about Sasuke? His hair can't be natural! Is it hair gel? Hair spray? Or is it--

**Sakura: **Miss Raven! Naruto just fell off of the roof!

**tsukiraven: **Huh? How did he manage that?

**Sakura: **He said it was something about a pirate...?

**tsukiraven: **I don't know anything.

**Iruka: **Irresponsible.

**Tsukiraven: **I can't help it! So anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter to its fullest extent! Please, reviews keep me alive!

Peace out, owari! Ja matte!


	20. Finale A

**tsukiraven: **Howdy! I'm here to begin another chapter of I'll Cover you.

You know, all; I originally planned this story to be a short two-shot where both Iruka and Kakashi died... Hmm...

Then, there was the idea of ending the story after ten chapters. Whatever happened to that plan? That was a good plan...

Nah, that wasn't going to work either.

So, I wait, and bide my time--ow. Who just threw that newspaper?

**Sasuke: **Wasn't me.

**tsukiraven: **It had to be you! It's always you! I even made fun of your hair last chapter!

**Sasuke: **--hits tsukiraven-- Well, that's for mocking my hair. But I really didn't throw that at you.

**Naruto: **I threw it! Stupid Tsuki-san... encouraging me to jump off buildings and drink rum.

**tsukiraven: **An answer to a reviewer's question, the title of each chapter is a different song, or variation of a theme, from the movie/ Broadway play, RENT. You know what this title means! We're not at the end yet, folks! Keep tuning in!

**Iruka: **tsukiraven owns nothing! Any allusions you might see in this chapter to other shows, none of them belong to her. Now, please enjoi the story!

I'll Cover You; Chappie 20 

_Let me protect you, Iruka._

_I'm here Kakashi... I'm here._

"Mizuki... Let's fight."

Mizuki picked himself up off of the floor, brushing off his clothing with a haughty disdain. "Iruka, don't even try to fool yourself into thinking that you can fight against me. You can barely stand, let alone summon enough chakra to fight with any jutsu."

Iruka drew back his features into a determined scowl. What Mizuki was saying was true, there was no way Iruka could hold his own in a serious ninja fight right now. He had no kunai, no throwing stars, and almost no chakra.

But, he had to try. If he could gather up enough chakra, he might stand a chance. And that meant he had to stall.

"Why me anyway, huh Mizuki?" Iruka snapped. "Why chose me? You probably could've had plenty of other people with Orochimaru."

"The thing is," Mizuki stated, "I didn't hit you with that kunai on purpose. You see... well, do you remember when Sasuke left Konoha?"

"Of course," Iruka hissed. "How could I ever forget that?"

"No, you wouldn't would you? But, you also remember how he came back to Konoha after killing Orochimaru's right hand man?"

"Yes." _'Kabuto...'_

"Well that left Orochimaru-_sama _quite frustrated. His only servant who knew his medical jutsu was gone. No one left to treat his arms night after night anymore. Yes, I daresay that made him quite angry.

"Then I introduced the idea that, although he doesn't have two, Kakashi Hatake had a Sharingan eye just waiting to be taken. It was just the idea that Orochimaru had been waiting for! A sharingan eye, complete with 1000 jutsu, and revenge on Sasuke by killing his mentor." Iruka bit back a furious retort listening to Mizuki's sick plan.

"We staged the invasion of Konoha to lure him out; he's just as loyal as the dogs he commands. The poison would've given us time to both collect the eye and probe him about everything that he knows of Konoha. The perfect plan!

"But even Orochimaru-sama couldn't have thought of this little detour." Mizuki chuckled. "I honestly don't think it could've turned out better myself! Do you think he'll give himself over fully for your safe return? Or do you think he'll just give up his eye? Either one is fine."

"Kakashi wouldn't do that." Iruka said evenly. "He knows that... all of those jutsu he has, giving up his Sharingan would be the end of Konoha. He's loyal," Iruka smirked, playing off of Mizuki's earlier words.

"Idiots in love do whatever they're told. I'll deliver the Sharingan eye to Orochimaru myself, and I'll be honoured beyond my wildest dreams!"

Iruka winced. Kakashi wouldn't... not for him... he wouldn't kill so many people just have Iruka safe, would he?

Yes, he would.

But Iruka wouldn't let him.

"Kakashi and I both love this village," Iruka said. "There's no way either of us would let anything put it in jeopardy."

"Well, if I kill you he may not be willing to take me up on my offer just for your body," Mizuki mused. "Or is he that far gone?" Iruka grit his teeth.

"Oh I see!" Mizuki exclaimed. "Is he even in love with you, Iruka? Or are you just some poor sap he's been using to pass his time? If you're doubting the fact that he'd come to your rescue, you must be wondering about the strength of his affection."

"Shut up..."

"I mean, you are awfully emotional. Too emotional to be a good shinobi. And why would he want someone who couldn't even protect him or herself from being kidnapped?"

"Mizuki, stop it!"

"And you fell in love before. And look at what happened."

Iruka charged forward, knocking into Mizuki at full force and bringing him down. Mizuki grunted as his head clipped the edge of the nightstand table. Iruka pulled off of Mizuki, gasping.

"Don't you ever insult Kakashi, Mizuki," Iruka ground out. "I know that even in the face of a choice like that, even if I made the wrong decision, he wouldn't."

Mizuki sat up slowly, rubbing the spot where his head had been hurt. "Love is an irrational and stupid thing. He will come."

"You speak of love as if you've never known it," Iruka stated. "Humans are bound to love at least once in their lifetimes."

"You speak of humans as if you aren't one," Mizuki reciprocated.

"All shinobi are human," Iruka said softly. "Under the coldest exterior, there's still a beating heart... a soul."

"Ah, the never-ending compassion of Iruka-sensei," Mizuki said. "You say all shinobi are human and yet you teach children to kill other humans, on order. What soul is there in that?"

"I teach them to survive," Iruka said. "Our future is in the hands of these children, and it's our job to enable them."

"You were always too soft, Iruka. Have you ever wondered why they never sent you out on missions? They were afraid you'd become sympathetic and allow your opponent to live." Mizuki's tone changed abruptly. "What do you think of me, Iruka? Do I still have a soul?"

"Yes," Iruka nodded, "you do. Everyone does. A soul is a human thing; you cannot escape it. It must be such a heavy burden to some people... to you. You must feel guilty all of the time."

"Are you going to offer me to come back now?" Mizuki said. "Tell me that I can just come back to Konoha, turn myself in. A few years in prison, tell them everything I know about Orochimaru--"

"No." Iruka said simply. "You're too far gone, Mizuki. You have a soul, maybe, but you have no conscience. No remorse for anything that you've done. You're gone," Iruka took a deep breath.

"And you should've stayed gone."

Mizuki shook his head, standing up. "You just don't get it, do you?" He drew back his foot and kicked Iruka in the stomach, making the teacher gasp.

"I hold the power here! I'm stronger" -kick- "than" –kick- "_you!_"

"Then what are you so afraid of?" Iruka asked. He spat to the side, an arc of blood tailing along with his saliva. "Because I'm certainly not afraid of you."

"What?" Iruka winced as he pulled himself to his feet.

"You can kill me here, you can take me to Orochimaru and have him torture the living daylights out of me, but I won't crack. I won't spill a secret of Konoha's and I won't give you Kakashi. I'm stronger than that." Iruka stood, on wobbly legs and looked Mizuki in the eye.

"I'm above that."

Mizuki paused for a second and then smiled, laughing. "Well, Iruka, if you're so prepared to die here then I won't disappoint you."

Iruka settled into the best fighting stance he could. "You have no power over me anymore, Mizuki."

"But my poison does," Mizuki chuckled again. "I don't need that power."

"Goodbye, Mizuki," Iruka stated solemnly.

"Fool, don't talk about your opponent as if he's already dead!" Mizuki roared, charging at Iruka and slamming him into the wall.

"I will not," Mizuki panted, "be made a mockery by you!"

Iruka drew back his fist and punched Mizuki in the stomach, sending him off a bit; enough to give Iruka leverage to push him away.

"I'm... We're done with you, Mizuki." Iruka said quietly. "Disappear from Konoha, leave Orochimaru and never come back again."

"Fool," Mizuki hissed. And then he grinned. "This is exactly why they didn't want you on missions." Mizuki put his hands together in a very recognizable hand sign. "The Kyuubi's strength shall be your undoing, Iruka. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! (Shadow Clone technique).

Instantly, a duplicate of Mizuki appeared behind Iruka, kunai in hand.

"You won't," Mizuki said, "be able to react in time." The clone dove the kunai into the back of Iruka's shoulder, ripping the blade out roughly. Iruka yelled in pain, turning as swiftly as he could to disperse the clone.

The moment the clone had disappeared, Iruka felt the air around him take on a different atmosphere. It became thick and dense, moist with a static undercurrent.

Iruka placed his hands together in a dispelling sign. "Kai! Release!" He gasped out; he did not have the energy to fight a genjutsu.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent, Iruka!" Mizuki yelled, throwing a handful of kunai at the younger man. Iruka dodged them easily and turned to face a smiling Mizuki.

Iruka sniffed. Smoke had permeated the air. "Wha--?" And explosion erupted from behind him, propelling him forward by yards, past Mizuki and into the opposite wall. He hit the wall at full force and crumpled to the ground.

"Exploding notes!" Mizuki called cheerfully, turning around to face Iruka. "Always be prepared for traps set by your enemy, sensei." Mizuki unsheathed a kunai and held it at the ready. "Any final words, Iruka?"

Iruka grit his teeth and spat out another wave of blood. The wound on his back wasn't deep, but he was losing enough blood to blur his vision.

It was over.

Panting heavily, Iruka brought himself upright to lean against the wall behind him. _'At least... I can die standing...'_

Mizuki threw the kunai at Iruka's neck the same moment that the far wall crashed in.

In a flash of light and speed, Kakashi dove in through the fragmented wall. Iruka's eyes widened as he saw Kakashi smile briefly at him through his mask.

Kakashi dove in front of Iruka, taking the kunai in the very center of his chest.

"Kakashi! Kakashi!" Iruka screamed. He dropped to the floor to support the weight of his sagging lover. Kakashi crumpled on top of him. "Wake up! Wake up you idiot, wake up! Tears rolled easily from Iruka's eyes. "Wake up, Kakashi..."

Kakashi's eye cracked open. "Iru... I made it..."

Mizuki chuckled, striding forward. "This is too easy, even I couldn't have expected that! I'll just take Kakashi and--"

"Don't touch him!" Iruka screeched. "Get out."

"Iruka, you don't honestly think that you can make me--"

"Get out, get out, _get out!_" Iruka cried, puling the kunai out of Kakashi's chest and throwing it at Mizuki's leg. "I'll kill you Mizuki, I swear it; I'll _kill _you!"

Mizuki paused. He had never seen Iruka so upset. And there was no doubt in his mind that every word that left Iruka's mouth was serious.

"I'll be back," Mizuki said coldly. "For the bodies; his and yours."

Iruka sobbed, rocking back and forth with Kakashi strewn across his lap. "Kakashi, don't leave me please don't leave me."

"I... I love you, Iruka..." Kakashi choked out.

"I know, I know... I love you too, Kakashi Hatake." Iruka tugged the soft black cloth off of Kakashi's mouth and kissed him.

He tasted like blood.

Iruka pulled back, horrified, as a bubble of blood grew and erupted at the corner of Kakashi's mouth, freeing the crimson liquid to flow down the man's chin.

"Iruka, my Iru..." Kakashi's voice was choked off, and the man's eyes faded as he lost consciousness.

"Kakashi," Iruka sobbed, throwing his head onto the still man's chest. "Oh, Kakashi..."

Iruka's eyes shut as he breathed in his lover's scent. So rich, so warm. If Iruka concentrated hard enough, he could still remember the beating of Kakashi's heart.

The way he used to listen to it after they made love, the way it would comfort him after Kakashi returned from a mission, the way it would lull him to sleep...

There was no life for him without Kakashi Hatake. A tear escaped Iruka's eye and landed on Kakashi's jounin vest, a silent promise of eternal love as Iruka drifted off to sleep.

_To be continued..._


	21. Your Eyes

I'll Cover You, Chappie 21 

_I'd give it all up for you, Iruka._

_Kakashi, my life is constantly in your hands. Just like my heart._

"What a week we've had!" Sakura huffed as Team seven entered the hospital.

"Week?" Naruto exclaimed. "More like, what a few months we've had!"

Sasuke, being Sasuke, "Hn-ed" good-naturedly.

"Yeah, yeah," Sakura smiled, patting Sasuke's hip affectionately. "At least we got the antidote!"

Naruto giggled and threw an arm around Sakura who, in turn, threw an arm around Sasuke who, in turn, looked like he wanted to murder them. All in all, it was all-good.

Tsunade emerged from a room ahead of them, followed closely by a small woman with lengthy black hair, her arm in a cast. They recognized the latter as Raven Aquirii, Iruka's nurse. Her normally cheerful face was drawn and sad, shadows lining the bottoms of her eyes marking a lack of sleep. Tsunade, more or less, was in the same state as her protégé.

"I had no idea," Raven said mournfully, "that it would all turn out so badly."

Tsunade gave a wry smile and patted Raven's head. "You're still quite young. If this..." she paused and gave a small sigh, "If this is the worst you ever have to face, be thankful Raven."

"I don't want to be thankful. If I hadn't been so stupid, Mizuki would never have been able to trick me. I would've protected him!" Naruto felt his blood run cold. Mizuki!

"And the mistake we made in calculating the time that K-Kakashi's team had to bring the antidote back was my fault too!" Raven cried. "It's... It's all because--"

_Smack._

Tsunade pulled her hand away from Raven's cheek slowly.

"If you're going to fall apart," she stated, her voice filled with determined calm, "every time something goes wrong, then you're useless as a ninja." Raven sniffed. "You can't help anyone in this state. Come on now, don't cry."

"Oi! Tsunade-baa!" Naruto called, striding towards the two kunoichi. "If that's how you treat your employees, remind me never to work at the hospital!"

Raven and Tsunade both spun around to face Naruto as he walked up to them, Sasuke and Sakura trailing slightly behind. Raven hurriedly scrubbed at her tear-streaked face.

"Oh, Aquirii-san," Sakura said sadly. "Did a patient of yours die? I've trained with Tsunade-sama, and I know that can be hard."

Raven smiled tearfully at the girl. "Thank you..."

"Sakura Haruno."

"Sakura-chan." Raven looked at the rest of the team. "So, are you all safe? No wounds?"

"No, we're just fine." Sasuke stated. "How is Iruka-sensei?"

"Yeah! Iruka-sensei! We brought back his antidote! Let us see him!"

"Naruto let me warn you," Tsunade said, "Iruka-sensei was wounded seriously in battle with Mizuki. He... He doesn't look his best right now."

"Wounded? Mizuki?" Naruto squeaked. He cleared his throat. "But... Iruka-sensei's alive isn't he? He has to be!"

"Barely." Tsunade cracked a thin, stressed smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Come and see him."

Iruka lay on a pale bed, two I.V.s hooked up to his arms; one filling him with water, the other blood. His face was pale. The only sign that Iruka was alive was the slow movement of his chest as he slumbered.

"We were lucky," Raven said, accepting the antidote that Sasuke offered to her and injecting it into Iruka's arm. "An ANBU followed Kakashi when he went to save Iruka. That's the only reason your sensei is alive today."

"What did that bastard Mizuki do to Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, horrified. "I'll _kill _him!"

"You'll have to get in line, Naruto." Tsunade said grimly.

Naruto looked at her quizzically. "After you?"

"No. After Iruka."

---

Light so bright that it hurt blared through Iruka's eyelids. He groaned and tried to bring his arm up to shield eyes. But he couldn't move any part of his body.

Wearily, he cracked open his eyes to see Naruto hovering over him on one side, Raven and Tsunade on the other.

"Iruka-sensei?" Tsunade questioned. "How are you feeling?"

"I... hurt..." Iruka croaked.

Tsunade nodded. "That's to be expected, you took quite the vicious beating. If Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke had arrived any later, you'd have died from the poison."

"No." Iruka closed his eyes again. "Why didn't you... let me die?"

"What?" Naruto said disbelievingly. "Iruka-sensei, don't say such things!"

"Where's Kashi?" Iruka asked.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked quizzically. "Hey, I haven't seen him either. I figured he wouldn't leave your bedside Iruka-sensei!"

Tears welled up in Iruka's eyes as he attempted to roll over and hide them.

"You'll suffocate yourself Iruka-sensei," Raven mentioned weakly. "Please don't."

"Doesn't matter." To his annoyance, Iruka could feel strength steadily building up in his limbs. The antidote had worked. He was going to live.

But what good was it?

"I can't..." Iruka sobbed.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto cried, lunging forward to hug his sensei. Iruka cried into the shoulder of Naruto's orange jacket, for once seeking comfort from the student that he had comforted so many times.

"Where, where is he?" Iruka sniffed, pulling away from Naruto to gaze at Raven and Tsunade.

"Iruka-kun, you have to understand--"

"I don't want to understand!" Iruka yelled. "I want to see Kakashi."

"Iruka!" Tsunade snapped. "Kakashi took a kunai directly to the chest. Unlike the attack you took, that shot was meant to kill! He's not about to come out of it unscathed! You have to understand...

"People die, Iruka."

Iruka grit his teeth. Wincing with the effort, he threw one leg over the edge of his bed, then the other. Shakily, he stood, leaning on Naruto for support.

"Not Kakashi," Iruka said. "Not him. Take me to him."

Tsunade was about to argue when Raven set her hand on the Hokage's shoulder. She nodded, and Tsunade sighed. "Fine." She began to walk out of the room when she paused.

"Iruka..." Iruka turned back to gaze at the woman. "Kakashi was just as adamant that he find you. When Mizuki took you."

Iruka stared at Tsunade for a few moments before smiled weakly. "Thank you." He shuffled towards the door in an almost-trance; terrified at the prospect of what might have become of his lover.

Tsunade pushed her way ahead of the group, leading them down a small hallway in the ward for critical patients. She paused before a door.

"Iruka," she began slowly. "Kakashi's vitals took a serious beating. His heart had almost stopped beating when we found him, and he had ceased breathing all together. His body...

"If he does live, he'll never be able to be a proper Shinobi again."

Iruka nodded as the impact of Tsunade's words hit him. "Okay," he breathed. "I... I want to see him now."

Tsunade pushed the door open and stood aside as Iruka ran in. He didn't stop until he stood at the side of his lover's bed, dropping unceremoniously into a chair there.

"Kakashi..." Iruka moaned, picking up his scarecrow's cold, pale hand with both of his own. Iruka may have been pale and malnourished, but Kakashi was quickly catching up. In a short amount of time, the taller man's skin had become dull, and his hair had lost its luster. Iruka knew that if he pushed the bed sheets back and looked at his lover's body, he would see bones.

"We're doing the best we can," Raven stated solemnly. "The best treatment the hospital can give, it's all his. But his body is rejecting everything we give it; water, nutrients, healing toxins. It's almost as if he's trying to die."

"No," Iruka whispered, pulling Kakashi's limp hand up to his lips and kissing it tenderly. "My Kakashi wouldn't give up so easily." His words were confident, but a tremor in his voice betrayed the hidden feelings.

'_Oh, Kakashi, don't die. Please… don't leave me here without you.'_

---------

"Iruka-sensei, would you like me to get you anything to eat?" Sakura asked timidly, as if afraid of the noise she knew her question would bring.

Without turning, Iruka answered softly, "A water bottle, please."

Sakura turned to leave, lacing the fingers of her left hand through Sasuke's right and pulling him out. Tsunade and raven had long since left, leaving Iruka alone with his most precious student- Naruto.

A minute passed. "Iruka-sensei?" Naruto whispered tentatively. "Can I sit next to you?" Iruka nodded and Naruto pulled up a chair, settling next to his sensei.

Iruka still clutched Kakashi's hand in his own. "Iruka-sensei? IS Kakashi-sensei going to be okay?"

Iruka smiled thinly. "He'll be fine Naruto. He's Kakashi after all."

"I guess... I mean if it were Sasuke or Sakura in Kakashi-sensei's place, and I was in yours, I'd probably be a lot worse off." Naruto eyed Iruka with two eyes of pure cerulean.

"I believe in Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, because you do. I know he'll pull though because you say he will." Naruto smiled, almost nervously. "After all, they said that you wouldn't wake up- they were wrong.

"You've never lied to me, Iruka-sensei. I know you wouldn't want to start over something like this!"

Iruka turned to Naruto, wide eyed. Naruto's words had brought strength back to him. He smiled genuinely, wrapping his free arm around the student.

"Thank you, Naruto." Iruka said, smiling as Naruto nodded graciously.

Kakashi told Iruka once that he'd always come home to his lover, as he'd kissed away the sweat and tastes of their night, and Iruka had believed him. So, Iruka would just be patient and wait.

---------

**tsukiraven: **I've tortured you, cliff hangered-ed-ed, went on vacation for a week and then procrastinated an ungodly amount of time before posting this chapter.

If you're still even reading this story, you are _the_ best reader(s) out there. Give yourself a pat on the back- you deserve it.

Really, gomen ne for not updating sooner. I'll be a little wiser and attempt to schedule my next writer's block a little better, really.

This chapter was written over the course of a while, please excuse any errors you may see.

Whelp, the next chapter is the chapter before the epilogue, which is the chapter before the after party. Will Kakashi pull through? Will Iruka be there to greet him when he does?

Find out next time, hopefully a lot sooner.

Peace Out for now!


	22. Finale B

**tsukiraven: **Here it is… the moment you've all been waiting for! Could it be? Is it possible?

Yes it is! The denouement of I'll Cover You finally arrives!

And I still don't own it. Yet.

_**I'll Cover you; Chappie 22.**_

_Please... Let me hold you one more time._

_You're so dumb... But I love you anyway._

Iruka was wasting away. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura knew it. Tsunade and Raven knew it. Hell, even Iruka himself knew it. He wouldn't leave Kakashi's room, no matter the circumstances.

One day- two week after his talk with Iruka- Naruto was back at the hospital, team and lovers at hand. Sakura worriedly clutched one of his hands while Sasuke held the other. Sakura carried a large bouquet of colourful flowers.

"Naruto... There- has there been any change? About Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked nervously, shifting her weight between her feet.

Naruto shook his head. "No, nothing about Kakashi-sensei." The unsaid _'Nothing about Iruka-sensei, either.'_ Hung in the air. Wearily, Team 7 made it's way towards the hospital.

---

A knock heard on the door knocked Iruka out of his reverie. He jumped, a little guilty for allowing himself to drift off. Setting Kakashi's hand gently down on the bed, Iruka stood and made his way over to the door.

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura," Iruka said, a little surprised. "I didn't think you were coming back until next week. What brings you here?" His three former students shifted nervously under Iruka's not-quite-suspicious scrutiny.

"Iruka-sensei," Sasuke began slowly. "We just wanted to--"

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted suddenly. "Would you take me out for Ramen?"

Iruka blinked. "What? Naruto, you can't honestly expect--"

"Come on, Iruka!" Naruto pressured, dropping the respectful suffix and surprising Iruka into silence. "We can go out for Ramen and then we can go to the training field or something! Yeah, we'll make a day of it! You can't stay here, Iruka!" Naruto shouted, his cheeks flushing and eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's killing you!"

Iruka remained silent. After a few moments, he sighed. "I won't leave him, Naruto. You know that."

"Won't, or can't?" Naruto said. "You won't leave him because you love him, or you feel like you can't leave him because you owe him one?"

Iruka stepped back as if he'd been hit. Tears rolled freely down Naruto's angry face as he shook off the hands of both of his lovers. "He saved your life, Iruka! But you saved his so you're square! You don't owe him any debt! Being here- every day, watching him as he gets paler and thinner and smaller- is destroying you, Iruka!

"You don't have to be gone all the time," Naruto sniffed. "Just a little bit every day. Just enough so that..." Naruto let himself trail off.

"But what if he wakes up?" Iruka bit off quietly, automatically moving forward and hugging Naruto. The boy hiccupped and buried himself in his mentor's embrace. "What if he wakes up and I'm not here?"

"You don't have to be gone for long," Sakura whispered gently, setting her flowers down on the table. "If...If it makes you feel better, we could leave something. Like a note. If he wakes up when you're gone, then he'll read the note and know that you'll come back to him."

Iruka paused, still cradling Naruto in his arms. _'They're right,' _He thought solemnly. _'They're completely right. This... it isn't what Kakashi would want for me.'_

"Not for too long," Iruka muttered, squeezing Naruto. "And I want to leave a note."

---

Iruka walked purposefully back into the hospital around dusk, Team 7 accompanying him. The three of them had forced him all about Konoha in their quest to make him have fun.

He almost hated to admit it, but he had had fun. It was good seeing his former students again, good being out and about. He even saw Konohamaru, who had thrown himself at his sensei in a monster hug, almost wailing. Iruka had kindly pried the child off and told him that, whoever had said that he was dead had either been lying of wishing because he was as alive as he'd ever be.

Iruka entered his lover's hospital room and sat in his normal chair, guilt creeping up around the edges of his mind. He had been out, having fun, while Kakashi was trapped in a hospital from a wound that he'd gotten from saving him.

Iruka suddenly jumped as a hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked up into onyx eyes. "Don't feel guilty," Sasuke stated. "He wouldn't want it."

Iruka nodded, only slightly perturbed that he'd been so easy to read. He picked up Kakashi's hand, wincing at the cold feel of his lover's palm against his own. And then something in his mind clicked.

_He remembered white, nothing but bright, white, all around him as the fact sunk in: he was dying. Iruka stopped trying to move, stopped trying to struggle. Everything that had been driving him in life- the urgencies, his work, his life- it was all gone now, and he could rest. _

_Until he heard it. _

_It started off softly, an almost undetectable change from the rushing noise of the wind. A low tune, rising and falling to a beat, and Iruka found himself listening intently to the song. _

_"With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you."_

_It was that voice._

_"Without you, the hand gropes. The ear hears, the pulse beats..."_

_Changing songs? But the other was so good._

_"Life goes on, but I'm gone..."_

_Wait..._

_"Cause I'd die without you."_

_Silence. The singing had stopped, replaced by weeping. A drop of something cool fell on his hand. Iruka's muddled brain told him it was water, presumably from a tear._

_It was Kakashi. He was... crying? He was calling him back! And suddenly, Iruka remembered. And he knew that he had to wake up. _

"That's it," Iruka muttered. Naruto cocked his head curiously at Iruka.

"Huh? What's it, Iruka?"

"If I just call him back..." Iruka mused. Hope flooded through his mind as he tried to recall the beginning to the song.

It was a special connection; their first date. Who'd have known a simple movie could have meant so much to either of them?

"Without you," Iruka began, "the ground thaws. The rain falls, the grass grows. Without you--"

"The seeds root," Sakura picked up the tune, looking at Iruka with hopeful eyes. "The flowers bloom... The children play."

"The stars gleam..." Naruto fumbled, singing along with Sakura as he struggled to remember the words to a song he had only heard once: when Kakashi sung it as a last hope to bring Iruka back.

Sasuke couldn't remember the words to the song. He felt awful, not being able to do anything while the two best friends he had and a mentor did everything they could to bring someone important to them back. He started as he felt a pressure on his hand, and looked over to see that Sakura had grabbed him. She smiled at him gently, assuring him that what he was doing was just fine.

They sang the song quietly and slowly, almost as if when they finished it would be over and there would be no chance of awakening Kakashi from his slumber.

When they reached the list verse, Iruka did not slow down. He began another song, one that he knew Kakashi would like.

"Live in my house, I'll be your shelter," Iruka sang softly, his melodious voice ringing throughout the small room. "Just pay me back with one-thousand kisses. Be my lover and I'll cover you.

"Open your door, I'll be your tenant. Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet. But sweet kisses I've got to spare. I'll be there, and I'll cover you."

Iruka felt tears welling up in his eyes as he sang. "I think they meant it, when they said you can't buy love. Now I know you can rent it and at least you are my l-love--"

"Our lives, all my life..." Naruto whispered.

"I've longed to discover something as true as this is," Sasuke sang.

"So with a thousand sweet kisses," Sakura's voice joined them, surprisingly steady but soft.

"You feel cold and you're lonely," Iruka sang in between Sakura's words and the lyrics that Naruto and Sasuke were sharing. "When you're worn out and tired, when you're heart has expir--"

And none of them could miss it. Kakashi's hand visibly flinched in Iruka's as the man's face tensed up.

"Quick, Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, releasing the girl's hand. "Go get someone... anyone!" Sakura was gone instantly, and they heard her yelling down the hall for a medic.

"Kakashi... Kakashi!" Iruka shouted, grasping the man's hand to his chest with both of his own. "Answer me, Kakashi, please!" Kakashi's entire body was tense and shaking. "Open your eyes!"

Kakashi groaned just as Raven banged through the door, two other nurses at her side. Her green eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the sight of Kakashi. She shook herself out of her reverie and turned to the two other kunoichi. "Anaine, help me stabilize Hatake!" She barked. "And you, go get Tsunade-sama! Now!" The other nurse scurried out of the room and Raven and the woman named Anaine rushed forward.

"How long has he been like this, Iruka?" Raven asked as she went to check his monitors. Anaine slipped an injection into the opposite arm from the one Iruka was holding, and Kakashi seemed to calm down a bit.

"Only a minute," Iruka said, griping Kakashi's hand tighter. Naruto was clinging to Sasuke and Sasuke was smoothing the boy's hair in an attempt to calm him down. Sakura re-entered the room and was immediately pulled into the two hugging teens by Naruto, who wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Will he be okay?"

Kakashi's hand twitched again in Iruka's own, and Iruka suddenly found himself staring into a pair of deep blue eyes.

"I... Ruka?" Kakashi whispered, "Am I dead?"

"Kakashi..." Iruka gasped, squeezing the hand in his position tighter. "You're... You..."

Kakashi winced. "Iruka... You're goin' to break it..."

"If that's the only thing that breaks, you should be happy," Tsunade stated as she walked into the room. From above Kakashi's bed, she beamed down at him. "You're on incredibly lucky brat, Hatake Kakashi."

"'Know," Kakashi slurred, looking sideways at Iruka. "I know."

Unable to hold out anymore, Iruka threw himself at Kakashi in a tight hug. "You're alive," he gasped through tears. Kakashi weakly hugged him back.

"So're you," Kakashi whispered by Iruka's ear. "I'm glad."

"Don't strain yourself, Kakashi-san," Raven said cheerfully. "You need to save up your strength."

Kakashi managed a small nod and wrapped his arms around Iruka tighter in response.

"Don't worry, Kakashi," Iruka said, smiling. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

Kakashi nodded again, already drifting off to sleep. "Iruka, love you."

"I love you, too."

----------

**tsukiraven: **--happy dances—

**Kakashi: **--sighs-- It wasn't that great, okay?

**Iruka: **--swats Kakashi's head-- Kakashi! Don't say that, she obviously worked very hard in order to finish this chapter! Good job, Raven-san!

**Naruto: **Yeah, great job, Tsuki-san! Way to go, dattebayo!

**Sasuke: **Ch. Whatever.

**tsukiraven: **--picks up pen threateningly-- If you ever wanna get laid you'll say something nice, dammit!

**Sasuke: **Good...job. -–chugs mouthwash--

**Sakura: **So, Miss Raven, what will you do next?

**tsukiraven: **I'm very glad you asked that question, Sakura!

**Naruto: **--rolls eyes--

**tsukiraven: **Next up is the final chapter in the series; the wonderful epilogue! Then I'm thinking of a few extra chapters! Hooray for extras!

Sorry for another long wait... but I think it was worth it, ya?

Another apology to anyone who thinks that this is overly corny... I don't, but that's... me.

And thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! You readers are the best I could've ever hoped for! Two hundred plus reviews! –glomps each and every reviewer-- Thank you all! You guys rock! Not just the reviewers, but the readers as well.

And thank you to Icy Sapphire15 once again, for sending me a PM that reminded me that I had work to do! I'm not dead! --waves-- I'm right here!

Until next time, peace out!

**Extra: tsuki's final chapter!**

**tsukiraven: **-puts RENT CD in disk drive- This is it... the time when I abide by my own shinobi way...—

**Eodaiya (tsuki's sister): **Oh shut up! You don't have a Shinobi way!

**Naruto: **Yeahhh... You really don't.

**tsukiraven: **Oh be quiet, Naruto!

**Eodaiya: -**The hells are you talking to?

**tsukiraven: **An ungrateful little orange demon.

**Naruto: **Hey!

**Eodaiya: **Whatever. And you quoted that quote incorrectly, dearest onee-san. (note: Onee-san equals older sister)

**tsukiraven: **I know, I know, I left out a bit. But it's not like I'm trying to open up the eight inner gates or something.

**Eodaiya: **Oh yes, you are.

Owari.


	23. I'll Cover You

**--Flashback--**

**tsukiraven: **Did you see that? Did you?

**Sasuke: **...What?

**tsukiraven: **Only the most awesome thing in the history of EVER!

**Naruto: **Huh? Tsuki-san are you trying to make another stupid point?

**tsukiraven: **No! I'm serious- this was awesome. Okay, well I was playing Final Fantasy VII when I saw--

**Sakura: **Stop right there. I know what's going on. You and your video game induced hallucinations.

**tsukiraven: **I'm serious! I really did see--

_Clonk!_

**Sasuke: **--throws away bat-- That was pointless and dumb.

--CloudStrife rides by on Chocobo-back, chucking materia at a worn out Reno who is running a few feet ahead of him--

--Everyone gapes--

**Kakashi: **...We're just going to pretend that never happened, right?

**Sasuke: **I'll hide the body.

**--Fade out sequence-- **

**tsukiraven**: And that is why I didn't update for so long!

**Sasuke:** How the hell did you get out of that dumpster?

**tsukiraven: **--polishes nails-- Let's just say I had a little help...

**Haseo: **Ch. You owe me one now.

**tsukiraven: **Of course, of course! Anything for you and those wonderfully tight pants of yours.

**Haseo: **What did you say? –pauses-- Who the hell is he? –points to Sasuke—

**Sasuke: **Who the hell am I? Who the hell are _you_? And why do you look, sound, and act just like me?

**Ishida: **--pushes up glasses-- Look, this whole argument is pointless and redundant. Shall we just get on with it?

**tsukiraven: **You're my favourite one of all!

**Iruka: **Why do I even bother anymore?

She doesn't own it. Be grateful!

_**I'll Cover You, Chappie 23.**_

Be my lover, and I'll— Oh, lover, I'll cover you! 

"Kakashi..." The silver haired ninja groaned, burying his face in the soft cushion beneath him. "Kakashi, wake up." Kakashi ignored the sweet voice, desperate for a little more time in his dream world. A world where clothing and Iruka did not mix.

There was a long sigh. "All right... I guess I'll just have to go and shower alone. All that hot water coursing over my body, that steam engulfing the entire room, my ha--!"

Kakashi groaned from his new position atop his conquered chuunin, snuggling into the smaller man's chest. "And your hands doing what exactly, Iruka?" Kakashi questioned sleepily, his lazy mouth drawn up in a smirk. Iruka grinned, pulling Kakashi into a large hug.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Iruka asked cattily. "You woke up too late and missed your chance- sorry! Maybe next time!"

"Do I get a consolation prize?"

"A wha--?" Kakashi ran his hands up Iruka's chest and his tongue up the tan man's throat, bathing cinnamon skin.

"Kakashi!" Iruka shoved Kakashi off of him where the jounin landed gracelessly in a heap back on the bed. "Stoppit! You're on doctor's orders not to do _anything_ that could cause you unnecessary physical stress for five months! It's been three!"

"Doctor's orders," Kakashi mumbled, rubbing Iruka's exposed hipbone (much to the sensei's pleasure). "Which one- the old man or the young annoyance?"

"Both!" Iruka exclaimed, swatting Kakashi's hand away (much to the scarecrow's dismay). "Now I'm going to go shower!"

"Can I come?"

"No, Kakashi."

"...Please?"

"No!"

---

"Hey there Kakashi-sensei!" Raven greeted cheerily, slapping the man heartily on the shoulder. Kakashi groaned. "How's it hanging?"

"Just peachy." Kakashi said gruffly.

"Got that last payment for my house yet?"

Kakashi groaned and shook his head. Raven's smile widened to Cheshire Cat proportions. "There, there. It's okay, I'm a merciful woman. I'll expect it from you in two weeks!"

Kakashi grunted his acknowledgement and scribbled his signature on a form. "Does this one need Iruka's consent as well?"

"Is he still your only existing family? If so, than yes."

Kakashi smiled despite himself and slid the form into his pant's pocket. "C'mon Doc," he wheedled lightly. "All that nonsense about 'no strenuous activity' for five months... I mean, five whole months is a little overkill, right?"

"Nope." Raven sang, handing Kakashi another form. "Five months, 'Doc's' orders. Call me that again, by the way, and I'll knife you, Hatake."

"Go ahead and try," Kakashi challenged. "I may not be a ninja anymore, but I'm still damn good with a kunai."

Raven sighed. "Sure you are." She turned to look at Kakashi seriously. "How _are _you though? Really?"

"Okay, I suppose. 'Ruka asks me the same question every morning, you know." Kakashi sighed, shrugging slightly. "Not being a full shinobi is... hard. And weird. I know it'll take me a long time to get used to it, believe me. But I think it'll all work out in the end."

Raven smiled again, shuffling a small stack of papers. "Naruto's optimism seems to have rubbed out on you."

Kakashi chuckled. "And so it seems."

"And the master has learned from the student!" Raven cried in mock celebration, throwing up her hands. "Oh, what a wondrous world we live in today!" Still smiling, she scratched her head and tossed Kakashi a small vile.

"Here," she stated. "That's for the good ol' Sensei. Tell him to make sure he takes four ounces of that with a liquid once a day for two weeks. I want to make sure the poison's totally flushed out of his system. There aren't many side effects to that particular medicine," Raven turned around and began rummaging though a large cabinet, "so I don't anticipate any problems. I don't think that there will be any lasting complications from the poison either." She emerged triumphantly, holding a significantly large bottle containing countless small tablets.

"So my Iruka's all right now?" Kakashi asked softly. Raven smiled and winked at him.

"Of course! Now this," she handed him the bottle, "is for thou! Take two a day, morning and night, and don't mix them with food. Other than that, you should be fine. So I release you with a clean bill of health!"

Kakashi chuckled and stood, lazily reaching into his coat pocket to pull out a rather gaudy orange book. "Thanks, _Doctor Aquirii_. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help."

"You're welcome, Patient Hatake." Raven smiled, tapping his shoulder. "Now shouldn't you be gone? Stalking your lover boy or whatnot?"

Kakashi shook his head, s shadow passing through his eyes. "No," he muttered. "I won't see Iruka until later, I think.

"He's putting some ghosts to rest."

---

"I was amazed when they told me that I had a visitor. But I never expected you, Iruka!"

Iruka scowled. "Umino-sensei. I don't familiarize myself with people I despise."

Mizuki laughed loudly. "Suuure you don't, Sensei." He ran a hand through his dirty, silver hair. "So, why the unexpected visit? Come to give me a kiss goodbye?"

"The ANBU came to my house," Iruka said softly, running tan hands down a thick metal prison bar. "They told me that they found you. I wanted to make sure."

Mizuki shrugged and tossed his hair over a shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. So why are you really here?"

Iruka glared down upon Mizuki. He no longer felt any shred of attachment- no love, no remorse, only anger.

"It won't last," Mizuki muttered. Iruka blinked, startled out of his revere by Mizuki's sudden words. "Hatake will leave you," Mizuki hissed, smirking lightly. "Tigers can't change their stripes. He'll move onto the next warm body at the slightest provocation, you wait and see. And then you'll be wishing you'd taken me up on my offer, Iruka."

Iruka shook his head. "I really pity you. You just don't get it at all, do you?"

"No," Mizuki insisted. "You don't get it. Love can't last. Fear doesn't last. Even the anger that you feel now will fade away. Power lasts, Iruka, and power makes memories. You should've joined me when you had a chance to."

Iruka blinked and shook his head. "No, Mizuki. What's done is done. What's happened has happened and I," Iruka raised his chin defiantly, "I wouldn't change it for anything. Goodbye."

"Iruka!" Mizuki scoffed at the chuunin's turning back. "When will you learn? You won't last forever! Iruka? _Iruka!_"

The departing ninja gave the desperate man one last indifferent glance before walking out of the prison into the sunlight, closing the door behind him.

---

"Hey there!" Kakashi called, walking over to the front door. Iruka closed it behind him softly. "How was it?" No response. "Did that bastard do something to you, Iruka? If he did I'll walk down there and kill him with my own hands, I swear it. Iruka what did he say to yo—"

Iruka grabbed Kakashi's shirtfront and yanked him down hard into a passionate kiss. Kakashi shifted for a moment before crushing Iruka's body to his in a tight hug, claiming every inch- inside and out- of the chuunin sensei's mouth.

After what could have been an eternity, Iruka pulled away, gasping. "Kakashi," he panted, "do you love me?"

Kakashi blinked. "You know I do, Iruka. With all of my being."

"Like really? Forever love?"

"Yes, forever love."

"Then let's be together." Kakashi blinked again, tilting his head in an adorably curious manner. "Forever Kakashi, forever." Iruka laid his head against Kakashi's chest, wrapping his arms around the other man. "I want forever with you."

Kakashi's eyes softened as he watched the younger man in his embrace. "Iruka," he said softly. "I want... I'd like nothing more than to be close to you forever. That's all I want, you know." Kakashi tilted Iruka's face up and met the other's mouth in a deliriously wonderful kiss.

"A forever with you."

---

Naruto yawned, starching out in his spot on the grass. From his right, he felt Sakura touch his hand gently.

"So, everything's all right," Sakura stated simply. "It's all over. Iruka-sensei's okay... and that's that."

"That's that," Sasuke agreed simply, grasping Sakura's other hand tightly.

"I'm glad," Sakura admitted, yawning. "It was all too stressful."

"I know what you mean," Naruto laughed. "And now, back to our normal somewhat less stressing lives!"

"Hooray!" Sakura chimed in. "Actually, I'm starting an internship at the hospital next week." Sasuke smiled and leaned his face against her shoulder, eyes closed. Naruto giggled and did the same, and Sakura couldn't help but blush. "Under Miss Aquirii,"

"Eck, that girl's your Sensei? Good luck."

"Naruto, that's not nice! She helped save both of our Sensei's lives! We should be grateful!"

"Well, what're Sasuke and I supposed to do if you and Kakashi aren't around?"

"... Fight over me?"

"You wish," Sasuke muttered. "Why would we fight over you?"

Naruto scowled. "Hey, you teme, I oughta—"

"...When we both all ready have you?" Sasuke said softly, pressing his lips to Sakura's right cheek. Sakura blushed again.

"You're right. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking."

---

**tsukiraven: **-sniff—

**Sakura: **Miss Raven? Is there something wrong?

**tsukiraven: **N-No! There's nothing... It's just... It's just... Waaaaughhh! -gloms onto Sakura-

**Sakura: **Eyagh!

**tsukiraven: **It's over, it's all oveeeer! Waugh! What am I supposed to do with my life now?

**Sakura: **Um... Wright another story?

**Sasuke: **Wright a _better_ story?

**tsukiraven: **But, all of the nice people I've met writing this, -sniff- all of the wonderful reviews I've gotten, -hiccup- all of the death threats for not updating fast enough! Where will my life be without all of that?

**Naruto: **You'll miss the death threats?

**Sakura: **You just have to remember that you're not done yet, Miss Raven.

**tsukiraven: **-big tearful anime eyes- I'm not?

**Sakura: **No! What about all of those extras you've promised?

**tsukiraven: **Egads! You're absolutely correct, Sakura! I can't forget my duties!

While we're on the subject of my duties... Yikes. Freakin' yikes. I went waaaay too long without an update, huh. I'm so sorry! –bows-

Do I still have any readers out there, despite this crappy excuse for an epilogue-slash-story? If I do, then I am the luckiest authoress in the entire universe. Thank you, thank you, _thank you_. You guys make this story worth writing.

Whelp... I guess that's that for this chappie. Please, review. I'm very busy with school and the like right now, reviewing will help keep this story in my mind, and remind me that it exists.

Once again, thank you all so much! I love you all and all I can say is that this chapter is dedicated to everyone who's ever reviewed this piece of fiction. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am.

Also, thanks to everyone in the KakaIru guild on Gaia who may be reading this. You guys rock!

The extras will come soon, don't worry your pretty li'l heads about it! I'm almost done with a one-shot ZabuHaku which I'll post, and then I'll get right on it! So, don't abandon me yet, 'kay?

**Iruka: **I'd like to thank everyone as well. It's been nice knowing that so many people care about me out there... I don't know what to say to you all! I'm really very grateful! I should be back in the Academy teaching in no time, so don't worry about me! I'm good as new! Thank you!

**Kakashi: **Yeah, thanks. Without all of the support from you guys, my 'Ruka might not have... –clears throat- Anyway, thanks.

**tsukiraven:** That about wraps this chappie! So, until next time—

**Everyone: **Peace Out!


End file.
